


Umbral Shadow

by dmc2izBEstIngamE



Series: Black and White/Yin and Yang [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Tragedy, Gen, Original Character-centric, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:48:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 90,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25645333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dmc2izBEstIngamE/pseuds/dmc2izBEstIngamE
Summary: Everyone has a shadow. Something that’s always with us and only gets stronger when we step into the light. Sometimes the burden of our shadow is strong enough to drag us into the dark with it. Down into an inky abyss. When that happens, we end up slowly losing ourselves over time...
Series: Black and White/Yin and Yang [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2180115
Kudos: 2





	1. Small Beginnings

Not having the strength to fully block the attack swung my way, my guard was broken and I was sent to the ground. "Come on Umbra, get up. If that's the best you got, you have no hope of becoming a Huntsman." Since my Aura was awakened, there was no real harm. It also helped that our swords were wooden. For whatever reason my dad liked to call them bokuto, whatever that meant. Standing up, I wasn't done yet. I wanted to prove to my dad that I could be a Hunter just like him and mom. "Remember to use that stance I taught ya Umbra. One hand on top, the other on the bottom. Point the tip of the sword forward. Put your left foot ahead of your right foot." To show me, he got into the stance himself.

Copying his movements, I got into the stance. "Like this?" It wasn't perfect, but I did the best I could.

"Yeah, like that. Now. From that stance, you can swing left to right quickly, or from top to bottom quickly. Why don't you take a swing." Doing as I was told, I quickly swung the sword down. "That was okay, but there wasn't enough force behind it. Remember to use the momentum from your body as well. When you swing, take a step forward." Getting back into that stance, I swung the sword again. I made sure to step forward while doing so.

Getting back into the stance, my dad looked my way. "Alright. Now come at me. Try and land a hit on me, I'll defend while you attack." Gripping the sword tighter I held my stance. Rushing forward I brought the sword down only for it to be deflected. Using the momentum like he told me to, I slashed to the left. Just like my downward slice it was parried. No matter what I threw at him he'd just shrug it off. Eventually he went onto the offensive. He was too fast for me to keep up with and our quick spar ended with me on the ground once again.

Sighing, my dad threw his wooden sword onto his shoulder and ran a hand through his black hair. "Come on Umbra. I'm not kidding anymore. You really need to do better if you want to be a Huntsman." Standing up I didn't waste anytime in rushing him. If I hadn't tripped over myself, I probably could have gotten a hit in. Probably... Instead, I ended up hurting myself. Considering it left a mark, my Aura had shattered. "Alright. We're done for the day. Go get cleaned up." Watching my dad walk away I fought back tears.

It was a losing battle. Without having to say it, I knew I was a failure in my dads eyes. While he doesn't take missions anymore, him and mom use to be part of a well known team of Hunters. It was embarrassing for the both of us that I was so weak. Someone as strong as him shouldn't have a weak son. Standing up I wiped the tears from my eyes and started walking towards the house. In the middle of the forest we didn't have to worry about annoying anyone by training out front.

Stepping into the house I put my wooden sword next to my fathers. Once I grabbed my book I was going to head back outside. Dinner wouldn't be for awhile so I still had sometime to myself. Once I was in my room, I went to my bookshelf. After a little digging, I found what I was looking for. It was a large book on the different types of Grimm on Remnant. Even if it was a bit out dated, I still liked to read through it. Being as out dated as it was, a few type of Grimm were missing. Like all the Grimm that were discovered on Solitas.

On my way out, I could see my dad had started drinking already. Usually he would at least wait until after dinner. I guess I must have really embarrassed him today. At the very least, he didn't yell at me.

Something that helped make me feel better was the lack of clouds out. When there were a lot of clouds in the sky, it usually meant that it was going to rain. I hated the rain. I _really_ hated the rain. So with the sun shining bright and the blue sky visible I felt happy.

Reaching my spot near the lake, I sat down and opened my book. While my favorite Grimm wasn't in this copy, I turned the page to the closest thing. The Nevermore. It was the closest thing to a Wyvern that I could think of. I knew the Wyvern would never really be added to any books, but I could dream. It was only a story parents told their kids anyways. My mom use to tell me stories about Wyvern like Grimm when I was younger all the time.

While normal people didn't really care for the Grimm, I wanted to know everything I could about them. If I was going to be a true Huntsman, just like my parents, I needed to know how my enemy worked. It was more than just because my parents did it. I wanted to be a Huntsman so I could protect people just like they did. I wanted to protect as many people as I could. That was the true meaning of being a Hunter in the first place.

Reading through the page on the Nevermore, I finished it quickly. Looking through the pictures one last time, I flipped the page. For the rest of the day I sat on the shore and read through my book. Once the sky started to change color, I shut the book and stood up. Stretching as I did so. I was about to turn and leave for home when I heard laughing. Across the lake was a family. That was weird, I didn't know anyone else lived close to here. Looking over I could see it was at least three kids and their parents. Only for awhile I stood there and watched them.

Once I realized I would be punished for staying out too late I turned and booked it for home. Up above the sky wasn't quite dark yet, but it was a bright orange. When I entered the house, I expected to be yelled at. I was surprised when that didn't happen. Instead, my dad was passed out on his chair. Looking to see what time it was, I noticed it was past 9 PM. I really must have lost track of time.

Walking into the living room, I grabbed a blanket off the couch and threw it over my dad. Going upstairs to my room, I sighed. Hopefully he got drunk enough to not realize I was out late. Putting my book back into its place on the shelf, I quickly changed and got into bed. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

Suddenly, a giant cold wave washed over me. Eyes wide open, I shot out of bed. As fast as I had fallen asleep, I was woken up. "Rise and shine Umbra. We've got more training to do today." Grinning with a bucket in hand was my dad.

Annoyed that he'd wake me up in such a way, I started waving my arms in a poor attempt to dry off. "I'm not gonna clean that up ya know! You're the one that made the mess, so I hope you know you're cleaning it up!"

Laughing at me, my dad grabbed the bucket by the handle and slung it over his shoulder. "Whatever. Just get ready Umbra. I'm gonna teach you how to train when I'm away." Grumbling, I made my way over to the closet to get a change of clothes. Once I picked something out, I got changed and made my way outside.

Waiting for me out front was my dad. He had a lit cigarette in his mouth and was putting his lighter away. "Alright old man. What are you teaching me today?"

Lifting his head up, my dad had a smirk on his face. "Who're you calling an old man? If I recall correctly, I wasn't the one who tripped over their own feet yesterday." Cringing at the memory, I rubbed the back of my head. "Anyways, today you'll be learning a technique called shadow boxing. That way, even when I'm not around you'll be able to train."

Putting my arm down I tilted my head. "Shadow boxing? But I can't fight shadows." Was this a test? Did he want me to try the impossible and land a hit on a shadow? It was that, or he knew a secret that I wasn't aware of.

Laughing at me, my dad tossed me the wooden sword he was holding. I almost dropped it, but I managed to catch it in the end. "You won't be fighting shadows literally. Now, the first thing you need to do is close your eyes." Closing my eyes I got into the same stance from yesterday. "You're a step ahead, nice. Keeping your eyes closed, pretend that a man made of shadows is standing in front of you. Make sure that he's in the same exact stance as you." It took some time, but eventually I was able to do as he said.

"Alright, what next?" While the picture wasn't the clearest, it would probably get better the more I did this.

"Attack the shadow. When you do so, pretend that they're copying everything you do. Basically, pretend that you're fighting yourself." Walking forward, I visualized the shadow in front of me doing the same. Since I was the one in control here, it was up to me to make the first move. Swinging from right to left, I made sure to step forward. When our blades met, I pulled my sword back and swung again. This time I swung downwards.

Stepping back to gain some distance I tripped over myself. Opening my eyes I stood up and started over. Most likely my dad was watching from the stairs leading to the house. Since he was smoking, he was trying to stay away from me. So instead of bothering him, I'd just learn how to do this myself. I was told the basics and that's all I needed. Just like most things, I was expected to do it myself.

The rest of the day was spent with me swinging at the air and falling on my butt. If we weren't in the middle of the forest, people would think I was crazy. Rushing forward to clash with the shadow in front of me, I tripped over myself yet again. Getting a mouth full of dirt, I didn't feel like getting up after that one. "That's enough for one day Umbra. Besides, we've got company." Raising my head, I could see my dad put out another cigarette. He was looking towards the tree tops. Following his gaze, I couldn't see what he was looking at at first.

Once I could see the Bullhead that my dad was looking at, I got excited. Only three other people came out here and I would've been glad to see any once of them. Jumping to my feet I ran into the house to put wooden sword away and get changed. By the time I was done inside and was able to run back outside the Bullhead had landed. Walking out from the ship were a few guards and one of my parents old teammates. "Eliza!" While Danial stopped by once a month or so, I barely got to see Eliza. After their team disbanded, she had become a soldier all the way in Atlas.

Running over to hug her, my dad stayed where he was. "Eliza. It's a surprise to see you. Seeing as how you were promoted to Lieutenant."

"You'd think I'd miss Umbra's birthday? If anything, I'm surprised Danial isn't here." Taking a flask out from his pocket, my dad had started drinking early again.

Taking a quick swig from his flask, he put his free hand in his pocket. "Funny thing is, Danial is over in Atlas right now. Business. He won't be back in time." Taking another swig from his flask, my dad turned to look at something on his left. "Why don't we head inside? Make sure the _dogs_ stay outside though."

I looked up to see Eliza had a scowl on her face. It was quickly replaced with a smile when she looked at me. "I'll join you two in a minute. There's something I need to grab from the Bullhead." The two guards with Eliza walked over to the front door and stood in place. Following my dad we entered the house. It wasn't like Eliza to forget things, so I could only wonder what she needed to grab from the Bullhead.

When we got inside my dad went straight for the bar he had set up. Him and Eliza didn't have the best relationship, but they still talked. Speaking of Eliza, when she entered the house she was carrying a set of three books. From where I was I couldn't read the titles, she held them so the spines were facing away from me. "I heard you're going to be enrolling in a combat school soon Umbra."

Smiling, I hopped out of my seat. "Yeah, and once I'm ready I'm going to go to Beacon. Just like you, Danial, mom and dad did. I want to be a Huntsman just like you guys were." Returning my smile, Eliza held the books out to me.

"Happy 13th birthday Umbra. If you're going to be a Huntsman, you need to know all about the Grimm. Right?" The books she held out to me were all on Grimm. "I heard from your dad that your copy is a little outdated. So, I got you these." My eyes went wide from excitement.

What she was giving me was the complete three Volume set about all the Grimm on Remnant. "Thank you so much Eliza!" Giggling, she rubbed my hair.

"You're very welcome Umbra. Just promise me that you'll be the best Huntsman ever." The books were heavy, but I managed to carry all three over to a nearby table.

Looking over to my dad, I could see he was done drinking. "We have to make sure to see mom while we're in Vale dad. I still have to tell her." Not changing his facial expression, my dad just nodded. Then, he smirked.

"Before that though, we have to whip you into shape. You won't do much good in school if you're tripping over yourself all the time." Both Eliza and my dad laughed at that. My face heated up and flushed red.

Grabbing my books I made my way upstairs. "I'm gonna go read my books." While he wasn't wrong, I'd never admit that to him. With three giant books to go through, I knew how I was going to spend the rest of the day. Maybe I'd even try and stay up late to read as well. Either way, my knowledge on all things Grimm was about to grow. Soon enough, no Grimm would be able to stand a chance against me.


	2. Like Father, Like Son

For a full year I trained with my dad. On the rare occasion he was gone, I used that shadow boxing technique he showed me. It took me awhile but I eventually learned how to visualize my invisible foe better. Once he thought I was ready, both me and my dad moved into Vale. My only exposure to Vale was when I would visit my mom, so navigating the city was a pain the first few days.

Before I officially started attending Pharos Academy, they had my picture taken for my ID. Getting to see all the people I would be attending school with was pretty exciting. That combined with tomorrow being the big day, I had trouble containing my excitement.

The very last thing I had to do now was visit my mom. Now that I'd be living in Vale, it would be much easier to do. Once I reached her door, I knocked twice before entering. "Hey mom. It's me. I have some good news to tell you." Like always, she didn't say anything. Walking farther into the room, I took a seat. "I got my ID for Pharos. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to be a student. Once I'm done, I'll go to Beacon. Just like you and dad."

Seeing as how it was a nice day out, I decided to open the window. "I would have attended Sanctum, but that would mean moving all the way to Mistral only to move back here when I was done." Walking back to my seat, there was now a slight breeze in the room. "Not only that, but I wouldn't get to see you if we moved to Mistral. At least this way I can visit whenever I want." Running out of things to say, we sat in silence. For about an hour I sat with her. Trying to think of something to say.

Just once, I wish she'd say something. Anything. But I knew that wasn't going to happen. Sighing, I stood up. It was getting late out and I wanted to be ready for tomorrow. Closing the window, I walked over to my mom and gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll make sure to visit more often now. Bye for now mom. I love you." After laying her hand back down, I stepped out into the hall. Nearly bumping into someone in the process, I gave a quick apology and made my way home.

I was the first person to arrive to class. Since I was so excited to start my first day, I got to school as fast as I could. Slowly, the classroom started to fill up. It wasn't until there were a few minutes left that students began to pour into the room. With the ring of the bell, our teacher walked up to his desk. He was elderly looking with gray hair and a slightly hunched back. Sitting on his nose was a set of glasses.

Adjusting his glasses, he put a book down on his desk. "Hello class. My name is Zygmunt Landa. You may call me Mr. Landa. I will be your instructor for this year. My job is to prepare you for whatever school it is you decided to go to next. Be it Haven, Beacon, Shade or Atlas Academy." Opening the book he had set down, he flipped through some of the pages. "Now, why don't we start by getting to know each other." After saying this, he called out a students name and had them say something about themselves. Eventually he reached me. "Next is Umbra… Hmm. Hart? Is that right?" Squinting at the book, he lifted it to get a better look.

"That's right sir, my name is Umbra Hart. Son of Hector and Serafanda Hart." The smile on my face faltered when I heard some students laugh. Everyone seemed to shift their gaze towards me. It made me slightly embarrassed. Was it the way I said it?

Putting the book back down, Mr. Landa looked my way. "Is that so? Who would have thought I would have a Hart in my classroom… Now, let's continue, shall we?" As he went on with having the class introduce itself, people kept looking my way and whispering to each other. "Alright class, as you know, all first year students must forge their own weapons. If you would follow me, I'll take you to the forge to get started." Everyone stood up to follow, though a few students kept their gaze on me.

Inside the forge, weapons of all kinds could be seen. They must have been decoration to give students ideas. Though for me, I didn't need any inspiration. I already knew what I was going to make. Just like my dad, I was going to make sword. Though instead of a Claymore, I would be using a Broadsword. While I could forge a weapon just fine, the inner workings of Dust was still a mystery to me. So unlike Decimation, my weapon wouldn't be able to blast Fire Dust. Or, any type of Dust for that matter.

"Make good use of your time class. I expect everyone of you to have a functioning weapon within a month." Normally it would only take a few weeks to make a decent weapon. However, we only had a set amount of time to the forge. Other classes would need to use it too. Instead of wasting anymore time, I found an empty area and got to work.

As it got close to our time in the forge being up, Mr. Landa had us put our things away. When we were back in the classroom, things got a little boring. For the rest of the day Mr. Landa asked us what we knew about Grimm. Since I knew just about every Grimm, I didn't feel as though I learned anything. It _was_ the first day, so I guess there's that. Once we got past the first week or so things would start to pick up.

With the ring of the final bell, everyone stood up to leave school for the day. Before I left, I wanted to stop by my locker. Just as I opened it, someone slammed it shut. "Hey Umbra. How's it go'in?" Looking to my right, I could see a group of three other kids were standing nearby. One of which had his hand on my locker. "Just wanted to introduce myself and my group. I'm Silver, on my right is Iron, and to the left of me is Steel." All three kids had varying degrees of gray hair.

While it was an odd way to greet someone, and not the way I would do it, they were all smiling. They knew my name, so that probably meant they were in my class. Most likely they knew who my dad was and they just wanted to get to know me. "Well uh, hi guys. You pr-" Before I could finish, I was pushed to the ground.

"Shut up. We know who your father really is Umbra. He's a disgrace, if you're smart, you won't show up to school tomorrow." Laughing, the group of three walked away. I was pretty upset, as I've never heard anyone call my dad a disgrace before. Nor have I been threatened like that. There wasn't anything that my dad could have done to make people not like him. At least, that I knew of.

Standing back up, I straightened my clothes out. Opening my locker once more I grabbed my weapon in progress and left. We were told we could work on our weapons outside of school, so I decided to do just that. While we didn't have a forge inside the apartment we were staying at, my dad most likely knew of a place I could work at.

"What do you mean you don't know!" With my hands on top of my head I stared right at my dad.

"I didn't make my weapon. I had someone else do it." Tilting the chair he was sitting in back, he took a sip from the cup on the table.

Putting my hands down, I put my gaze to the floor. "Great. That means I've gotta look for one myself in the city."

"Not only did I make someone else make my weapon at Pharos, but I had Eliza make me a new one at Beacon." I couldn't believe it. This entire time, my dad used a weapon he didn't make. With a huff, I picked up my weapon in progress and turned to leave. For a moment, I thought if I should ask him about something that had been bothering me. I decided against it. Right now I had a forge to find.

Stumbling my way through Vale, I got a little lost. Only a little. There were a few times I had to ask where I was. Just when I thought I had a grasp on the cities layout as well. Looking up at the taller buildings, I wasn't really looking where I was going. This caused me to bump into someone. "Sorry about that." Still standing, I at least didn't knock them down.

"Oh, it's alright. Wait a minute. You look familiar, do you go to Pharos?" I didn't know what the girl standing in front of me was talking about. She must have been a student as well, though I don't ever remember talking to someone like her. Her hair was a mix of red and black and she stood slightly taller than me. Her green eyes opened in remembrance. "Yeah. You're Umbra, right?" Uh oh.

"Look, I'm just looking for a place to continue working on my weapon. Whatever those gray haired guys told you, can it wait till later?" The girl laughed after I said that.

This wasn't going to be good. "You mean those idiots who pushed you around after school?" Now I was confused. Either she was insulting me, or insulting them. "You shouldn't let them do that to you. If you don't stand up to them, they'll just keep pushing you around." She was insulting them.

Now knowing which 'side' she was on, I loosened up. "I didn't want to cause a scene on my first day." Putting my free hand in my pocket, the red haired girl gave me a look.

"Didn't want to cause a scene? Everyone knows who you are by now. Just by attending the school you've got people talking about you. I'm not even in your class and I know your name. Oh! My names Carmine before I forget." Holding her hand out, I took my hand out of my pocket and we shook hands.

"Well Carmine, maybe you can help me with something. Why would anyone hate my dad? From what I heard from my mom and their friends, he was a real hero." I didn't feel comfortable asking my dad this, and if I did, there was the chance he wouldn't tell me.

"You don't know? You're his son. Didn't he ever tell you what happened at Mt. Glenn?" I winced at that. Of course I knew what happened. "Anyway, if you really want to know, some people think that Merlot Industries paid him to throw the fight."

Now I was angry. "That's a lie! My dad would never do something like that! Not only that, but the other members of Team Shade would never agree to that!" Carmine put her hands up in defense.

"Hey, I never said I believed it. If you think that's bad, I could always tell you what else they say." After hearing that, I felt a little sick. Living out in the forest I never knew what people really thought about my dad. All this time, I thought he was some great hero people looked up to. "I've got to go Umbra. Maybe I'll see you at Pharos some time?" Waving at me, Carmine took her leave. Still not feeling good, I didn't really want to work on my weapon anymore. I didn't really want to go home either. With what Carmine had told me I wouldn't be able to concentrate anyways. Making up my mind, I decided to visit my mom. Right now, I just needed to talk to someone.

The next morning I was a little hesitant to go to school. My desire to become a Huntsman won out in the end. Even if people were slandering my fathers name, there would be people that knew the truth. Not only that, but maybe once I became a Huntsman I could go back to Mt. Glenn. Buildings that were owned by Merlot Industries had to still be standing. If what people are saying is true, evidence would still be there.

Entering Phaors, Silver's threat was lingering in the back of my mind. I couldn't help but wonder if he would really go through with whatever he had planned. No. If I was going to be a Huntsman, I couldn't let things like this get to me. No matter what it was, I couldn't let it get to me.

As I walked through the halls to reach my locker, people were staring at me. Some gave me quick glances as they talked to their groups. Reaching my locker, I put my unfinished sword away and made my way to class. "So, you showed up anyway Umbra?" Turning around, Silver, Steel and Iron were standing behind me. "You should have done what your dad did and just run away. That's what your families best at anyway." Silver was giving me a sardonic smile as his friends laughed mockingly.

Standing my ground, I wouldn't fall for his lies. "Say what you want, Silver. But I know you're lying. My dad and his team did what they could. What happened at Mt. Glenn was nobodies fault." This caused his grin to turn into a frown.

"Whatever. You're gonna regret showing your face around here." Bumping shoulders with me as they left, I turned around. Since we were in the same class, I would need to follow them. So instead, I'd let them get there first. It would be better than risking another confrontation.

For the rest of the day, I was getting weird looks from people. Every now and then I'd get the passing 'freak' or 'loser'. It hurt, but at the end of the day what they thought about me wouldn't affect my ability to be a Huntsman. At lunch, no one wanted me to sit by them either. In the end, I ended up eating alone. I was used to being alone though so it didn't bother me that much. After all, out in the forest it _was_ just me and my dad.

Compared to yesterday, today was pretty awful. Part of me just wanted to give up, but my pride wouldn't allow it. Skipping my weapon for today, I was resigned to the fact that I couldn't find a forge in Vale. So I would just use the one at school instead of wandering the city like an idiot. On my way out, I could hear a familiar voice behind me. "Umbra! Hey Umbra! Wait up!" It was Carmine. The girl I bumped into the other day. All the commotion drew the attention of those nearby.

Sighing, I slipped my hands into my pockets. "Just what I needed. You do know I was trying to leave without the whole school knowing. Right?"

"Well _sorry_. How else would you know I wanted to talk?" I felt a little bad for her.

"Trust me. You don't want to talk to me. You were right when you said people didn't like my dad." If only I had known just how much they hated him.

"So? Are you saying just because everyone else hates you, I have to too?" She didn't understand what I was getting at. "Anyways, wanna hang out? My friends bailed on me so now I haven nothing to do today."

"Hanging out with me is going to lead to some pretty bad second hand hate." Scoffing, she put a hand on her hip.

"I didn't know that the son of the legendary Hector was so full of excuses. Judging by yesterday, I'd say you're new to Vale as well. Think of it as a tour. Come on I'll show you around." Without warning she grabbed my arm and dragged me out of school.

"Whoa, hold on! Slow it down!" It was going to be a rough year. Well. Not just year, years. I was going to have to carry this hate with me through Beacon. My dad had told me about how students get put on teams at Beacon. If I thought things were bad now, I didn't want to know what it would be like then. Being stuck in a room with people who hated me. For my parents, I would get through it. Not just for them either. For all those that need protection. Those that don't have the comfort of city walls like Vale's. I'd struggle through all the hate if it meant I could protect those that need it the most.


	3. Clair De Lune

Over the next month I worked on my sword. When it was finally finished, it was one of the better moments for me at Pharos Academy. After that, not much happened. As the months wore on, everything seemed to stay the same. From time to time I would hang out with Carmine. She was really my only friend. No matter how much I tried, people only wanted to judge me based off what they thought my father had done.

When I first arrived in Vale I was a little nervous about the crowds. I was willing to meet and make friends however. Now, I knew that would be impossible until I somehow publicly cleared my fathers name. Basically it meant I would be a social outcast. If I said that I wasn't somewhat angry at my dad, I would be lying. I knew he was innocent, but a part of me couldn't help but wonder…

"Hey. Umbra. You there?" Waving her hand in front of my face, Carmine broke me out of my thoughts. Living out in the forest with only my dad to talk to nine times out of ten, I tended to talk to get lost in my thoughts sometimes.

"Hmm? Yeah, what up?" Walking through the halls of Pharos, we were leaving for the day.

"I asked you what you wanted to do today." If she wasn't hanging out with me, Carmine would hang out with her group of friends. Just like everyone else at Pharos, they didn't like me. It was alright though. They were fine with Carmine hanging out with me so long as they didn't have to.

"How about the arcade?" By now, I knew my way around Vale. Acting as a tour guide Carmine had showed me around. Of course, even she didn't know where to find a forge. It was almost as if the city didn't even have one. I mean, come on. Not a single forge. In the entire city? It was stupid.

"Alright. I guess I could check on my high score on Immortal Blade as well. Make sure nobodies taken my throne." Having to stifle a laugh, I already knew what she would be walking into. For over a week, I had been playing Immortal Blade. Knowing how seriously she took that game, I thought it would be funny to take the number one spot. Knowing her, she'd have it back within a day anyways.

Making our way to through the front doors of the arcade, we stopped at a few games before checking in on Carmines high score. Soul Vendetta, Exblaze, Spirit Hazard and Enemy Invasion to name a few. When the time finally came to check on her score, it got harder and harder to hold in my laughter the closer we got. Once we reached the machine that had Immortal Blade on it, she paused for a moment before slamming her hands down onto the machine. "What!? How!? Not only that, they used ASS for their initials! ASS! Seriously?! How old are they!? Nine!?"

Seeing the look on her face combined with her reaction, I couldn't hold my laughter any longer. "Well, I'm _sooo_ glad someone finds it funny!" Popping a token into the cabinet, she was had a determined look on her face. Battling her way through the demonic hordes, she was on her way to reclaim her spot at the top.

Knowing which paths would net her the most points, she climbed the tower in record time. Reaching the top, she hit the second half of the game. Now she had to traverse the tower again, but in reverse order. For the rest of the day she was trying to reclaim her crown. By the time she did, the arcade was about to close. "Would ya look at that. You actually did it. For awhile I thought you'd have to wait till tomorrow to take your spot back." Quickly putting her initials in, C.I.B, she was once again number one.

Throwing her hands behind her head, she gave me a smug look. "It's no big deal. I doubt anyone's gonna beat that." Not only did she get her high score back, she blasted past mine. Going far past what I had set.

"Alright alright. We should probably get going. Arcade's about to close." Stretching, she reached up towards the ceiling. When we walked out it was pretty late. "Sun's going down. See you tomorrow?"

"Hey Umbra, do you mind if we hang out for just awhile longer? Please?" I knew why she wanted to stay out longer, but there really wasn't anything to do since everything would be closed.

"I don't mind. But what would we even do? It's almost dark out and everything's gonna be shut down for the day." I knew better than to offer to hang out at my place, as my dad would probably embarrass me. Either by bringing up how badly I did in the first few months of our training, or the time… Never mind that, I would like to pretend that day never happened. You drop _one_ lousy firework and all chaos ensues.

"I have an idea. It involves bending the rules a bit, but trust me, it's worth it." That didn't sound good.

"Are you sure? Your dad's a cop." Scratching my head, I wasn't sure.

"I do it all the time. Trust me, all we have to do is sneak out. I know a way out with a view of Beacon Academy." Now she had my attention. If we did go, we'd be able to see Beacon and get a little sneak peak. There was still one problem though.

"Okay. But what if Grimm show up?" Reaching into her unzipped sweatshirt, she pulled out her secondary weapon, Solar Eclipse. Unsheathed, her Tanto's blade was Ivory with gold ivy running up it. Her main weapon, Lunar Eclipse was an Ebony Katana with purple ivy running up it. If you asked me, I'd say her weapons looked way cooler than my simple broad sword. Though at the end of the day, it's not the looks that made the weapon. It's who wielded it.

"I've got it covered. Now come on, no excuses." Grabbing my hand, Carmine was dragging me off again. She had the tendency to do that. On the outside she might seem cold and distant, but once you got to know her she was actually pretty energetic.

"So, what are we looking for Carmine? Well. What am I looking for." Arriving at an old part of the city, things were pretty quiet compared to the rest of Vale.

"Alright. So there use to be an entrance in this part of the city. People stopped using it since it wasn't practical." Pointing off somewhere, I followed with my gaze to where she was pointing at. "Over near that building is where we have to go. Some people still guard the entrance because of the Grimm, but it's nothing two Hunters in training can't sneak past. Right?"

"Of course. Though you do know if this involves swimming at all, I'm out. Right?" Carmine gave me a weird look after I said that. "What? I can't swim. That's all." As soon as I had said that, she started laughing.

"You can't swim? Really? I thought you and your dad lived out in the wild." My pride as a Huntsman just took a hit before my career even began.

"So? Just because I lived in the wild doesn't mean I know how to do everything nature related. I'm taking it you know how to do taxes and crap?" Giving me a smile, she playfully punched my shoulder.

"I'm just messing with ya Umbra. I don't know how to swim either." Well then. I would never be able to understand her. "Enough messing around, come on. It's almost dark out, I don't want to miss it." Standing up, we made our way to the old entrance.

Carmine was right when she said sneaking out would be easy. The people in charge of guarding the entrance were expecting Grimm and not people. That didn't really make me feel all that safe to be honest. What if some bandits or White Fang members snuck in looking to cause trouble?

There wasn't really a path leading to where Carmine wanted to take us. That meant we had to battle with the brush in order to get to where we were going. Multiple times I took a branch to the face, almost swearing twice as I wasn't expecting it and got scared. Which of course, only made Carmine laugh. At my expense I might add.

Finally reaching our destination, we stood on a cliff overlooking a river that lead to the lake in front of Beacon. The area had opened up so we weren't surrounded by trees or bushes anymore. Higher up than where we were, Beacon loomed over us. Turned in a way to show it's full size, the moon shined bright above everything else. "So. Was I right?" Maybe it was just me, but as Carmine faced me, the moonlight made her pale skin shine just as bright.

"Uh, yeah. It's a nice place." For the past month I had started catching feelings for her. Carmine was my only friend, so I really didn't want to ruin anything between us. At the same time, I just couldn't help but love her.

"I come out here a lot. Nobody else knows about it, so it's kinda like my special place. Somewhere I can go to escape everything." Holding her hands behind her back, she spun to face the ledge. "That means you're pretty lucky ya know. I haven't shown this spot to anyone else."

Watching her stand in the moonlight, a small breeze went through. Even with Beacon so close, and the Emerald Forest even closer, I couldn't help but keep my eyes on Carmine. My heart rate spiked and I had trouble thinking of what to say. Every time I tried to say something I stopped before I could get it out.

"Do you think we'll be put on a team together at Beacon Umbra? What do you think our team name would be? I think Team BURN would be pretty cool." As she said this, she took her gaze off the moon and towards Beacon. "I know no one at Pharos treats you fairly, but I'd make sure our teammates did." For the first time, I didn't really feel like talking about Beacon. Or even Hunters in general.

You know what? Screw it. Now was the perfect time. Trying to build my courage I straightened my posture and took my hands out of my pockets. "Carmine. There's something I want to tell you. I've wanted to tell you for awhile now, but I never felt like it was the right time." Not looking back, she kept her sight fixed on Beacon. Letting a breathe out I didn't know I was holding, I finally let her know. "Carmine. I love you. I know we've only known each other for a few months, but you've been so kind to me. Everyone else won't even give me a second glance."

Letting her hold go, she let her arms drop to her side. For awhile she was quiet and I was scared I just lost my only friend. "Umbra. I'm sorry. But… you can't love me. You know why." Turning to face me, tears were leaking from her green eyes. Trailing down her pale face. "It's just not possible." I had almost wished she did stay quiet.

"I know what your father does to you, and it's not right. But that doesn't mean you don't deserve to be happy." Shaking her head, she put her gaze to the ground.

"It's not that. It's how I'll react. Having a normal relationship with me… It just isn't possible. Just like the moon, I'm broken." Stepping forward I took one of her hands in mine.

"Listen to me Carmine. Even if the things we do together don't change, I want to be with you. If all we do is just hang out like we always do, that's all I can ask for. All I want is to be _with_ you." We both knew about each others darker parts. It pissed me off to no end that there was nothing I could do to help her. That was the worst feeling in the world. To know someone needs my help, but not being able to do anything about it. The feeling of being useless.

"Umbra…" Pulling me into a hug, she was openly sobbing now. Returning the hug, I was careful not to hold her too tight. "I love you too Umbra." Out of the both of us, Carmine was the stronger one. So seeing her like this was a new experience for me. I got to see a whole other side of her.

"We can take things as slow as you want. Nothing has to be rushed, I'm a patient person. If you don't feel comfortable doing something, we won't do it. It's as simple as that." Lightly hugging Carmine, the both of us stood atop the cliff. Shining down from above, the moon had lit up the area. Even though the moon might be shattered, it was still beautiful. Just like Carmine. All the cracks and missing pieces just gave them character. Holding her like this, I was the happiest I had been in years.

* * *

Sitting next to an open window in Serafanda's room was Hector. In his hand was a lit cigarette. "The boys pretty strong now Sera. You wouldn't even recognize him." Taking a puff of his cigarette, Hector stared out the window into the night. "Of course, he's still got a long road ahead of him if he wants to be as strong as we were." Scratching the stubble of a beard on his face, Hector sighed.

"Still won't talk to me. Huh? I guess that's understandable. If you could have it your way, you'd probably rip my head off." Taking a lighter out of his pocket, he started flipping the lid open and closed. On the side there was the engraving of a wolf. "You want to know something funny? Even though I'm the one he's around, he acts more like you than me."

Opening the lighter one last time, Hector flicked it on. Watching as the flame danced in the dark. "He's struggling at Pharos. I can tell. It's not what he thought it'd be. Once he's had enough I plan on training him myself. That way he'll still be able to attend Beacon like he wants." Tipping his chair back, Hector flicked the lighter off and pocketed it.

Resting his hands on top of his head, he let out another puff of smoke. "I just hope he doesn't expect much out of Beacon either." Hector watched as the smoke left through the window and flew up into the night sky. Rising from his sitting position, Hector put his cigarette out.

Throwing it out the window, he put his hands into his pockets. "Big things are on the way Sera. I just hope that when the time comes, Umbra makes the right decision." Saying all that he came to say, Hector left.


	4. Magdalene

Half asleep, I was waiting for the bell to ring and signal the end of the day. After turning in my finished test, I didn't have anything else to do. Since it was a test on Grimm, I was the first one done. With my left arm supporting my head, it was the only thing keeping myself from smashing my face into the desk. Catching myself nodding off, I jolted upright and shook my head.

Taking a deep breath I took a glance around the room while stretching. At his desk, Mr. Landa was doing some paperwork. Somewhere behind me I could hear someone tapping their pencil against their desk, thinking of what to write down. To my left, someone else looked like they were going to explode. Most likely, they didn't study. Finally on my right, another kid was using a pen to take their test. Either they were confident in themselves, or they didn't have a pencil.

With a sigh, I slumped down into my seat. I forgot that we were taking a test today, so I didn't have a book with me. That meant I would be stuck like this for the rest of the class. Trying to keep myself awake, I thought about what it would be like at Beacon. What the teachers would be like, the classes, my classmates and even my team. If I didn't get put on a team with Carmine, I didn't know what I'd do.

Thinking about Carmine made me think about that night three weeks ago. How I finally built up the courage to tell her how I felt. Hanging out like we usually do, nothing much changed between us. The only thing that did change is the way we thought about each other. It was funny really. We were both too scared to tell the other how we felt. Though Carmine's reasons were much more… personal. Once we both graduated from Beacon, we would be out saving people soon enough. Even if the other two members of our team didn't like me, or we didn't get put on a team together, the two of us would travel together. We'd be the best Hunters yet.

Breaking me out of my thoughts, the bell had finally rung. I hadn't even noticed other people get up to turn in their tests. Standing up like everyone else, I was ready to leave for the day. "Mr. Hart, could you please stay so we could have a word?" Because of Mr. Landa, it appeared I would be stuck at Pharos for awhile longer.

Turning around, I walked over to Mr. Landa's desk. "Mr. Hart. Are you really the son of Hector Hart?"

"Of course I am Mr. Landa." He thought I would lie about who my parents were?

Laughing, he adjusted his glasses. "Excuse me for that, but it was only a joke. You see, it's just that Hector's grades can't even compare to yours." Sliding my test towards me, it looks like he already graded it. "I wanted to see how you stacked up to your father. So I graded it soon after you turned it in." That came as a surprise to me.

Picking up the test, I saw that I got a perfect grade. "You knew my father?"

"Of course. I was friends with his father. Your grandfather." Why didn't he say so sooner? "Now. With that out of the way, why don't we get to the real reason I wanted to talk to you." Taking his glasses off, he put them on his desk. "How is life at Pharos treating you? I've noticed that the rest of the student body hasn't been treating you kindly. Three students in particular. If you ever need to talk to someone, the staff are willing to listen. Especially me. Not only are you a student of mine, but a family friend."

"It's been alright. For the most part, I just ignore those three, I don't let what they say get to me. I was able to make one friend at least, a girl named Carmine." Having one really good friend was better than having a bunch of not so good friends.

"Well that's good. Friends are a very precious thing. They help keep us on the good path." Smiling, Mr. Landa put his glasses back on. "Just remember Mr. Hart. If you ever need someone to talk to, not only am I here, but so are the other teachers here. Have a good day Mr. Hart."

With a nod, I took my test and left. On my way out, I didn't see Carmine. For the past week I actually hadn't seen her anywhere. I'd ask her friends if they had seen her, but they didn't like me. Just as I was about to leave for the day, I got pulled off to the side. Before I knew it, I was thrown onto the floor. Judging by the person that was washing their hands, I was in the bathroom.

Flipping me around and grabbing me by the collar of my shirt was Silver. "What does it take to make you realize no one wants you here!" Lifting me up, Silver threw me back. The few people that were already in the bathroom gathered to see what was going on. "Steel. Iron. Hold him." Grabbing each of my arms, I wasn't able to move. Reaching into his pockets, Silver pulled out his weapons. A pair of Brass Knuckles. Slipping them onto his hands, he balled up his fists.

"Hold 'em tight. I'm gonna teach him a lesson he won't forget." With his weapons on, he beat me while his friends held me. Not being able to move my arms, I tried to kick him. That proved to be a mistake as I was pushed to my knees. Now, instead of hitting my stomach and chest, he was attacking my head. Each punch brought me closer to losing my Aura. Soon enough, it was going to _really_ hurt. The few people that gathered were laughing and enjoying the show. "I'm gonna make you wish you stayed hidden with that monster!"

His next punch hurt and my vision blurred. Drooping my head down, I had a major headache. "C'mon man. I think he's had enough." Raising me to my feet, Iron and Steel stood me up right.

"Enough? You do know how many people died because of this freaks father, right?" Reeling his fist back, he sent another punch to my gut. Without my Aura, it hurt worse than I thought it would. "I'll tell you when it's enough!" Due to the pain in my head and the strong hit to my stomach, I didn't have the strength to stand. Falling to my hands and knees I held onto the spot I was hit.

"Dude, his Aura's gone. Anymore and we'll get in real trouble." With a scoff, Silver took his Brass Knuckles off and put them away.

"Fine. But know this Umbra." Crouching down, he grabbed me by my hair to look me in the face. "Next time, it'll just be me an' you. You and your dad are nothing but cowardly traitors." Standing back up, he kicked me down fully and left with his friends. The people that had gathered didn't bother to help me. Following Silver and his group out, they did nothing but laugh or sneer at me.

Pushing myself up, my head was pounding. I knew no one liked me, but why didn't they help? They were training to be Hunters as well, so shouldn't they have stepped in and stopped him? Deciding not to linger, I left school grounds. Not in the best mood, I didn't know where to go. For obvious reasons, I really didn't want to see my father right now. At this point, I didn't know who to believe. There was something that happened that I didn't know about. Whether he had good intentions or not, it was just something I was going to have to find out.

Walking to my mothers, I noticed that the police were setting up a perimeter around some building. Curiosity got the better of me and I got closer to see what was up. Police tape and wooden barricades kept people from getting too close. From where I was, I could see a window to some shop was broken. "I'm going to have to ask you to back up sir. This is an active crime scene." Once up close, I could recognize the face of the officer talking to me.

"Mr. Breleaux? What happened here?" It was a surprise to see him, but maybe he could help me with something.

"Ah. Umbra. With that bruise on your face, I didn't recognize you." Putting my hand up, I rubbed the spot where my Aura broke. "Anyway. It's just a standard burglary. We'll have the guy in a couple hours. We have a description so it's only a matter of time. If you see a man with orange hair, a white suit, matching hat and uses a cane as a weapon, let us know."

"Alright. I'll keep my eyes out. Uh. Real quick. Is Carmine okay sir? She hasn't been to school in awhile." As much as I hated the man, I had to keep my temper in check. With him being a cop, there wasn't much I could do.

"She's sick. She'll be back soon." Putting his thumbs on his belt, he straightened his posture. "I've got a criminal to catch Umbra. Make sure to stay on the straight and narrow." Seeing a bigger group crowding somewhere else, Foster, or Officer Breleaux, went over to disperse them. Sighing, I had to take a detour now to reach my mothers.

Once I arrived at my mothers, I made sure to knock twice before entering. "Hey mom. It's me." Still feeling the pain from earlier, I sat down right away. "Today was uh… rough day. I guess my one moment of joy couldn't last forever huh?" Taking the folded test out of my pocket, I was going to show it to her. "Got a perfect score on a test at least. So there's that." Looking it over once more, I stood up and put it on the table next to her.

"Mom. Why does everyone hate dad? Did he really do something that bad?" I knew I wouldn't learn anything. But it helped me think. "Was the incident at Mt. Glenn why your team disbanded? Why Eliza and him don't get along? Is he responsible for…" No. He wouldn't do something like that. Sighing, I ran my hand down my face. Stopping at my left cheek. If Foster didn't recognize me because of it, it must've been bad. That, or it was a subtle jab at me. Walking back over to my seat, I sat down and put my gaze to the floor.

"I don't know what to think anymore. At first, I thought people were just jealous. It was all just rumors." Tightening my hands into fists, tears threatened to fall from my face. "But the longer this goes on, the more violent things get. I can't help but wonder. Do I even know who my dad really is?" Crying, I tried my best to stay quiet. "Can you just say something? Please? I just need you to say something mom. Anything."

For the rest of the time I was there, I sat in silence. Nearby sirens could be heard, but other than that, it was silent. There wasn't anything else for me to say. Outside, the sun was starting to set. Soon enough, it would be night. Standing up, I decided it was time for me to take my leave. "Bye mom. I love you."

Not wanting to let my father see me with the bruise on my face, I wandered the city for awhile longer. Finally I figured I'd just go to the spot Carmine had showed me. Since I just wanted to be alone right now, it was the best place to go. After going there with Carmine at least two more times, I knew how to find the exit. Sneaking out, I forgot I didn't have my weapon on me till I was already outside the walls. Being so close to the city, there wasn't much for me to worry about. So I continued on.

By the time I reached the spot, the moon had risen and the stars were right there with it. To my surprise, Carmine was here as well. She must have been here for awhile. "Oh. Carmine. Your dad told me you were sick. What are you doing here?" Not responding, she just stood there. She had brought both of her weapons as well. "I haven't seen you for awhile. Are you okay?"

"Please leave. Umbra. I don't want you here right now." Hearing her say that, I was hurt.

"Hey, what's wrong? You can tell me." I could see her hands were shacking slightly.

"Umbra, leave." Now I was a little worried. As she said this, she turned around. Holding her sheathed Katana in her left hand, her Tanto was drawn in her right. It took me awhile to notice, but in the moonlight I could see it was covered in something. Blood.

"Carmine what happened?" Somebody must have attacked her. Did it happen out here?

"I'm not going to ask you to leave again Umbra. So leave now." There wasn't a chance in hell I was leaving now.

"Come here Carmine. Let's talk." Stepping forward, she stopped me.

"Take another step, and I jump." As she said that, my heart skipped a few beats and my blood ran cold. "I can't do it anymore Umbra. I just can't."

"Listen to me Carmine, whatever is going on, I can't help unless you tell me. Okay?" This was bad. Beyond bad. One wrong word….

"You can't help me Umbra. Not with this." She was talking about her father. Once I became a Huntsman, that bastard was as good as dead. "You know what he does to me. But… it got worse. So. So much worse Umbra." Why did this have to happen today?

"Carmine please, just take a few steps forward. For me." Not listening to me, she just shook her head. If there was anytime for my semblance to show itself, it was right now.

"I was never sick Umbra. I thought I was at first, but I learned the truth." Now. Right now. I needed a semblance. Something speed related. "The truth is, that bastard, he… he got me pregnant." Fucking come on. Activate dammit! "So. I… I killed him. I didn't know what to do, so I ran." Inching myself closer to her, I tried to be as slow as possible.

"We can go somewhere Carmine. Let's just run away. Start over. Anywhere you want to go, we'll go." I had to keep her talking. Reaching my hands out to her, I kept ever so slowly making my way towards her. "All you have to do Carmine, is walk over here. Come on." Please. I'll do anything. Just activate.

"I can't Umbra. I just… can't. I'm not strong enough." I'm almost there.

"You are strong Carmine, you're stronger than me." She took a step back. Thinking she noticed my slow advance, I stopped as well. "I promise you Carmine. Everything will be alright."

Looking down, we both stood still. My heart was pumping. With all the adrenaline rushing through me, I felt weak. Throwing her weapons down, she gave me smile. I returned one. "Umbra. I love you." Before she could finish, she fell back.

" _CARMINE!_ " Running forward, I tried to grab onto her. Her hand, her arm, her leg. There was still time. My semblance. I just needed a semblance. Leaning over the ledge, I nearly fell myself. "C'mon. C'mon! Anything, please! Give me something! Let me swap places with her!" Tears running down my face, I couldn't do anything. Crying and shacking, I screamed. I so badly wanted to jump after her, but I was too scared to. I was too cowardly to…

Sitting and crying in the moonlight, I felt empty inside. Like everything I had was just taken from me. Dammit. That useless feeling was back and stronger than before.

When I finally decided to leave, I picked up Carmine's weapons and slowly made my way home. While I never planned to use her weapons, I could at least keep them to remember her by. Her Tanto didn't have it's sheathe as she most likely left it at home. If I was going to be honest, I didn't even know she left her weapons at home. With everything that had happened today, I was ready to quit. The only person who cared for me was gone. Getting through Phaors like this just wasn't possible.

When I got back home, I cleaned Solar Eclipse and hid Carmine's weapons before going to bed. The next day, I didn't get out of bed. Telling my father I didn't feel good, he called me in. When it got obvious I wasn't going to go back, he wasn't as angry as I expected him to be. We left Vale behind. I at least got to tell my mom goodbye before doing so.

Back in the forest, the relationship I had with my father wasn't the same. After Pharos Academy, I looked at him differently. He was no longer the amazing hero I had envisioned him to be. Making sure I would still be able to attend Beacon, he trained me for the next few years. It was much more taxing than last time. While the training was hard, the next few years went by in a blink. In what felt like no time, I was 17 and ready to attend Beacon. All I had to do was wait for them to start accepting people.

"I'm back dad." No longer shadow boxing, I went out at least once a week to hunt Grimm. "Nothing too bad this time. Just a bunch of Beowolves." Walking into the living room, I could see he was drunk, or very close to having too much.

"Well that's good." He downed another shot after saying that. I had no idea how many he was on.

"I know I'm ready this time. I won't let you or mom down." Walking over to the sofa, I took a seat. Over the next few hours we talked to each other. Being drunk, it was a little difficult for my father to keep up.

Looking down. There was something I wanted to ask him. Something I'd wanted to ask for a long time. What better time to ask then right before leaving for Beacon? "Dad. I've wanted to ask you this for awhile. Back at Pharos, everybody hated me. They didn't hate me because they were jealous because of who I was related to though." Looking over at me, he was sitting in his chair. If he was standing, I wouldn't doubt he'd be tipsy. "Everyone hated me… because of you. Because of something you did."

"Is that so?" He had a strange look on his face. Due to being drunk most likely.

"Yeah. So I want you to tell me if what they were saying is true." Tension filled the air.

"That depends. What did they say?" Taking a deep breath, it was now or never.

"Did you… help destroy Mt. Glenn? Did you attack other Huntsmen, lure Grimm or do anything like that?" Hearing me say that, he took another shot.

"So that's what people think of me. Huh?" Not saying anything else, he just kept drinking.

"Yeah. That is what people think of you. So are you going to answer my question now?" The way he ignored my question pissed me of slightly.

"What does it matter? You can't just believe something because a lot of other people believe it." Taking yet another shot, I had enough of it. Standing up, I walked over to him and took the bottle from his hand.

"Can you just answer my question!? All I want is for you to tell me what happened! Why does everyone hate you, and why did your team disband!" At this point, I had enough. I just wanted to hear his side. Standing up, my father towered over me. Snatching the bottle back, he looked angry.

"Like I said, what the hell does it matter!? Knowing what happened wont change anything! People will still hate me, and they'll still hate you! So move on an' deal with it!" My anger reaching it's peak, I shoved him back into his chair.

"Fine! I'll just ask Eliza then, I know she'll tell me!" Crossing my arms, I turned to walk upstairs. I was going to bed for the night.

"You really want to know what happened Umbra?" Pausing, he grabbed my attention. "There are somethings we're better off not knowing about. But if you so badly want to know. I'll tell you." Finally. The answer to my most burning question.


	5. True

From where I was standing, I could feel the heat from the flames licking at my face like an excited dog. During our fight, his precious bar spilled it's contents. This made lighting the house on fire all the easier. To add insult to injury, I stole one of his lighters as well. Before I burnt everything down though, I had made sure to save Carmines weapons. Her Katana was fastened to my left hip and her Tanto was hidden under my jacket.

After I had learned the truth, straight from my fathers own mouth, my whole world had shattered. All this time, I thought I was the son of Remnant's greatest hero. Someone who put others lives above his own. In the end. He was nothing but a fraud. Almost all of Team SHDE was. The only one who truly cared for the lives of others was my mom.

" _I never_ _cared about_ _sav_ _ing_ _anyone. Killing Grimm was easy, I was just in it for an easy paycheck._ _When Mt. Glenn happened, I decided to play for the winning team._ _"_

Hectors words played on repeat in my mind. Since he was drunk, I don't think he intended me to learn as much as I did. It didn't matter either way. He was dead now. I no longer viewed him as a hero much less my father. Looking towards the sky, I could see stars starting to shine in the night sky. Soon enough, the moon would show itself. Making sure both Lunar Eclipse and Ignition were strapped tight, I made my way towards Vale. Eliza was in Vale, and I didn't know where to find Danial. Inside Vale however, there was someone who I was sure would know how to find him. Whether he knew it or not, he was going to help me find and kill Danial.

Reaching Vale, a mixture of emotions flooded through me. The bad far out weighing the good. One thing that surprised me was the increase in police presence. It would make killing Danial all the harder. I didn't plan on sticking around for long anyways, so I'd be gone before I could be caught. As I walked through the near empty streets of Vale, I couldn't help but think of how different it was during the night. During the day, the streets were packed. At night however, there was barely a soul around. Maybe it was related to the police?

Turning down a street, it was completely empty. While walking down the empty street a breeze went through. Other than that, it was silent. For about all of two seconds. The sound of glass shattering could be heard from behind me. Turning around to see what was causing all the commotions, I saw a man wearing a suit laid out on the road. Running out of the now broken window was a man in a different colored suit. Chasing after him was a girl wearing red with a weapon much to large for her size. Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat and I held my breath. Our eyes met, and for the briefest of moments, I saw Carmine.

When my senses returned to me, I got angry at myself. Not only was this girl too short to be Carmine, I knew she was dead. She died right in front of me. Turning back around, I left them to their fight. I wasn't going to be part of something I had no stake in. Either way, I didn't know what happened to cause the fight to break out. With my luck, I'd end up siding with a killer. Whatever happened, happened. I had more important things to worry about.

Reaching the docks, I saw there was someone at the gate. With nothing to do, it looked like they were reading. When I got closer, I could see they were flipping through a magazine. Only slightly visible, a second magazine could be seen inside the exterior one. He was hiding what he was truly looking at, which was most likely not suitable for work.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for a man named Mark. I know he works here, but I'm not sure where to find him. Could you tell me where to find him? It's important." Without looking up, he responded.

"Don't know who yer talk'in bout kid." Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out some lien. Other than the lighter, I took some lien while I was at it. I had a long journey ahead of me, and it's not like Hector would be missing it anytime soon. Throwing it on the desk in front of him, I seemed to catch his attention.

"Mark's taking inventory ta night. Ya can find 'em in section E." Holding his magazine with one hand, he pocketed the lien. Nodding my head in thanks, I made my way towards section E. Luckily, each section was labeled so it made telling where I was easy. When I reached the area I was told to go, I could see a man holding a clipboard. He was going through the contents of a container.

"Hey Mark. Haven't seen you in awhile." Looking up at me, Mark smiled.

"Awhile? I haven't seen you since you were seven. How are you and your dad?" If only he knew. Now that I thought about it, I didn't know how much Mark _actually_ knew about Hector. He at least knew about him being a Hunter. If he knew about his intentions behind it or not, I couldn't be sure. "I see you got your weapons. You getting ready for Beacon?" Lowering the clipboard, he gave me his full attention.

"No. I… didn't get accepted." It was a lie, but I needed to keep him in the dark. There wasn't any reason to have to drag him into it.

"What? That's not possible, with who your parents were, you should have been guaranteed!" Whether he was right or wrong about that, it didn't matter anymore.

"Yeah, I guess I just applied too late. Anyway, do you know where Danial is? I have something important to tell him." As nice as it was to see Mark again, I needed to find Danial and get out of here. The sooner the better.

"Funny you ask. Me and Danial were gonna meet up at The Twin Ax's. I told him to start without me, so he might be a little tipsy." If Danial was drunk, that would make killing him all the easier. Just like Hector, he'd lose all his skill. I wasn't afraid to admit that in a fair fight, I wouldn't stand a chance. After all, they were trained Huntsman. At best, I could take on a first or second year at Beacon.

"That's alright. What I have to tell him is too important to wait. Could you tell me where The Twin Ax's is?" Looking at the watch around his wrist, he put his free hand into his pocket.

"Ya know what? My shift ends soon. I'll just drive you if it's that important, come on." Having Mark tag along would complicate things. Killing Danial in front of him wouldn't be the best move. At the same time, I couldn't let Danial sober up. If he was drunk, I had to strike now.

" _No one on Team Shade_ _was in it to save people. We all had our own reasons for being a Hunter. Not one involved justice. Your mother though..._ "

Following Mark, he clocked out for the night and we drove to the bar him and Danial were going to meet at. When we arrived, I could tell from the outside that the place was popular. The front doors were wide open and propped open with bricks. When we got close, the smell of smoke was overpowering. It made my head hurt. Yelling and laughter could be heard from outside. Inside, it was even worse. All that combined with the large crowd, I felt sick. I couldn't back down now though. Not when I was so close.

Letting Mark lead, we looked for Danial. When we finally found him, he was sitting at a table by himself. His weapon was propped up on the table, an ax that was most likely as deadly as it looked.

"Danial! Got someone here who want's to talk to ya!" When he saw me, Danial put on a big grin. Knowing what I knew now, keeping my cool in front of him would be difficult. Lashing out would only get me locked up, so I knew better than to do that.

"Well if it isn't Umbra! What are you doing here!? Is Hector with ya!?" Not wanting to waste time, I had to find a way to get Danial outside. Without Mark coming with of course.

"Actually Danial, what I wanted to talk to you about involves him. It's… important. Very important." With how much noise there was, I had to raise my voice so that I was heard. Setting his glass down, Danial's grin faded.

"Did something bad happen? Is everything alright?" Now that I had his attention, getting him alone would be easy.

"Can we go outside? It's too loud in here, and I don't want everyone here hearing about what happened." Lazily standing up, I saw him wobble slightly. This was going to be too easy. Leading the way, I noticed Mark was following as well.

"Mark, you can stay here. Once I'm done talking to Danial, you two can start drinking together." Shacking his head no, I got nervous.

"From the sound of things Umbra, I need to hear this. If Hectors in trouble, I have to know." Dammit. My plan was backfiring on me. Now what was I going to do? Exiting the bar, we walked far enough away so that the shouting wasn't drowning us out.

"Alright Umbra. What's go'in on? Is Hector alright? Are you alright?" Danial was slurring his words, but only slightly. With Mark here, my plan would have to change. Luckily, Danial had left his weapon back at the bar. If Danial was unarmed, I could easily just rush him. After I killed him, I could just run. Mark would know I killed him, sure. But I didn't plan on ever coming back to Vale. However, it would make my last stop impossible.

"Danial, Hector's… Hector… He's. Dead." Both Mark and Danial now wore shocked expressions on their faces. "Before he died, he wanted me to tell you that…" Adrenaline was running through me, my hands were trembling. Moving quick, I unsheathed my sword at brought it down, slashing Danial and taking a chunk of his Aura. "That you're nothing but a fraud!" The attack sent him to the ground.

"Umbra!? What the hell!?" Rushing towards me, Mark tried to hold me down.

"Get the hell off me Mark!" Still reeling on the ground, Danial was laid out. I had to get Mark off of me quick so I could finish off Danial. Shoving Mark, I put all my strength behind it. While he was an adult, I was training to fight creatures much bigger than I was. Pushing him off me didn't take much effort. In fact, I ended up using too much force. I over extended my arm while shoving Mark, and I ended up slicing his throat open with my sword. His blood splattered over me and my eyes shot open. What did I do!? Grasping at his neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding, he fell to his knees before collapsing on the ground.

"MARK! Dammit Umbra, look what you did!" Now standing up, Danial looked at me with anger in his eyes. I watched with wide eyes as Mark bled to death in front of me. Clutching the sword in my hand tighter, I was ready to end this. With a scream, I ran at Danial and slashed at him over and over again. Eventually his Aura broke and I was drawing blood. As he was drunk, there wasn't much he could do to stop me. Standing over Danial, he was wheezing. "Umbra, what the hell got into you?"

"I learned the truth is all. Now. I'm going to right the wrongs you've committed. Once I'm done with you, Eliza's next." Before he could respond, I brought my sword down. Piercing his heart, Danial died instantly. With the deed done, it was a hollow victory. Looking over to where Mark lay, I couldn't stop shacking. A sickness rose from my stomach. Backing up, I didn't make it far before vomiting. Mark was there for me when my parents were off on missions. Not only that, I didn't know if he was in on Hector and Danial's secret. For all I knew, I just killed an innocent man. Gathering my strength as best as I could, I still had something to do. Once I was done with that, I would leave Vale behind me for good.

" _Your mother was different. She really did want to help people. Which is why…_ "

Before I arrived at my mothers, I made a stop at some store. With the blood covering me, I had to tell people I was a Hunter and my team was killed by a pack of Grimm. It worked, and got people to back off. Purchasing a new set of clothes, I didn't want to be covered in Mark's blood for long. I even washed my face in the restroom. Standing outside my mothers room, I raised my hand to knock.

Putting my hand back down, I didn't know if I had the guts to face my mother after what I did. Tightening my hands into fists, I took a deep breath and held it. After five seconds, I let it out. Relaxing my body, I knocked twice and entered.

"Hey mom. It's me." Shutting the door behind me, I slowly made my way into the room. I had a lot to say, but I didn't know where to start. "So, first off I just want to say I uh. Kinda gave up on the whole… Huntsman… Thing." Fidgeting with my hands, I sat down in a nearby chair. "I'm sorry. I just… Couldn't do it. I just don't see Hunters the same anymore." Not saying anything like usual, she just let me talk. "You don't really need a license to kill Grimm anyway, so it doesn't matter that much. I just won't be getting paid for it."

"So now, instead of becoming a Huntsman, I decided that I'm… I'm going…" Standing up, I walked over to her and held her hand in mine. "I'm going to kill the people who did this to you. Da- Hector. Told me what happened." Laying in the hospital bed, she was covered in tubes and wires. Her body was covered in burns, and her left eye was missing. "I've already taken care of two of them. So there's only one person left." Putting her hand back down, I walked over to the window. "To do that though, I have to go to Solitas. To Atlas." Opening the window, I looked up at the cracked moon.

"I don't know what I'm going to do once I get there. I highly doubt that some kid is going to stand a chance against a Lieutenant in the military." Gripping the window sill, I used it to steady myself. What a mess. All of it. "I'm not going to let them get away with what they've done. I promise." My time was running out. Soon enough, the police would be looking for me. With their increased security, it would only be a matter of time before they pinned the murder on me. "Before I go though, I'm going to make sure that… You're not suffering anymore."

Trapped in this damn hospital, not able to move, breathe, eat or use the bathroom on her own. Was she really living? It had been so long… Trembling, I pulled a mixture of chemicals from my jacket pocket. At that store, I had bought some chemicals to mix. I wasn't going to leave her trapped like this. Pulling the plug would only alert the staff, so this was the only way I could think of. "I won't let you sit here, alone and suffering." Opening the bag that was attached to her IV, I paused. "If you can hear me, I promise. This won't hurt. It… It'll be alright." With tears rolling down my face, I dumped the contents of the container into her IV bag. Stepping back, I stood in silence. "I won't die until they've all paid for what they've done. I promise you. I… I promise." Putting the container onto the table next to her, I wiped my face and left the room.

" _..._ _we removed her. Since she wouldn't accept our plan, she had to be taken care of._ "

Outside the hospital, it was raining now. Up above, the moon and the stars were covered by clouds. In the time it took me to leave the hospital, a storm had moved in. This would work in my favor as escaping would be easier now. Though I wouldn't be able to use one of the gates, that didn't matter. From the beginning, I was never planning on using the main gates to escape.

Trudging through the rain, the storm got worse the longer it went on. Soon enough, flashes of thunder and lightning could be more than seen. When I got to my exit, the rain had turned into a downpour. If I wasn't careful, I wouldn't even be able to face Eliza. Being alone, there was a real chance I could be snuck up on by some Grimm. Even worse, my exit had it so I would be looping around Beacon. Before I started off towards Atlas, there was one last thing I had to take care of in Sanus.

Walking through the Emerald Forest, I made sure to check my back every few seconds. I looked paranoid, but that's because I had to be. Ever since I stepped foot in this stupid forest, it felt like someone was watching me. An Alpha already had it's eyes set on me. It had to be an Alpha considering a younger Beowolf would have rushed me by now. While I patrolled the forest near my old home, I never did so in the rain, much less the downpour.

Hearing a noise to my left, I shot my hand up for my sword and unsheathed it. Getting into my stance I surveyed the surroundings. Nothing. Or so it would like me to believe. Running would get me killed, so I took my time and slowly backed off. Suddenly, I heard what sounded like running behind me. Turning just in time, I slashed at my attacker and jumped back. My attack hit and I sliced the Beowolfs skull in two.

Rushing at me from the bushes was a pack of Beowolves. None of them posed a real threat to me, but I couldn't get sloppy. Even the weakest of enemies can be dangerous in groups. Running towards the Beowolf in the front, I sliced it open and dogged the next one's attack. While using Lunar Eclipse and my sword at the same time would make this fight trivial, I chose not to. Simply because I didn't want to use it, nor did I want to use Solar Eclipse. Having them with me was enough.

Instead of dogging the next attack, I parried it. With the Grimm left open, I slashed downwards, killing it. Jumping into the fray, I slashed out at the next closest Beowolf. Quickly counting the remaining Grimm, there were three of them. With another counter attack, that made two. Only seeing one in front of me, I knew where the other one was. Running towards the Beowolf in front of me, I jumped over it. This caused it to run into the one that tried to sneak up on me. Spinning quick, I drove my sword forward and impaled the two Beowolves, winning the fight.

Getting into my stance, I waited to see if there were any late guests. When none showed up, I got ready to sheathe my sword. Instead of doing that however, I swung my sword down and jumped back. Slicing the arm off of the Alpha that tried to play it safe. Rushing forward, I killed it with ease. Where there was a pack, an Alpha was surely to be close. Sheathing my sword for real this time, I walked onward. Circling Beacon, I went South.

Seeing the buildings looming over me, I knew I had finally arrived at my destination. Mt. Glenn. It was bathed in light by the sun high in the sky. To be honest, I didn't even know what I was looking for. Whatever it was, it would be in one of Merlot Industries old buildings. The infrastructure was similar to Vale's. At least navigating the city would be somewhat easy.

Climbing the tallest building near me, I was trying to get a vantage. When I reached the top, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a picture I had swiped a long time ago. It was a picture of the members of Team Shade all together. They were smiling and standing outside one of the buildings I was looking for. When I saw the building I was looking for, I put the photo away.

All around me were abandoned and decaying buildings. The only sound was the breeze every once in a while. Making sure to scan my surroundings, I didn't want to get jumped by some Grimm. What surprised me the most about Mt. Glenn was the lack of Grimm. I was expecting it to be swarming with them.

Reaching my target building, I looked up. My gaze followed it all the way to the top. It was a tall building, it had to be at least 50 stories tall. With the power gone, I would have to climb the stairs. All the way to the top. It was… an experience. By the time I reached the top, I was out of breath. The only reason I went for the top, is because that's where I assumed the CEO's would be. Entering one of the nearby rooms, I began rummaging through any papers that were left behind.

Each hour that passed, doubt crept in. Not only were there 50 floors to check in this building, there were also multiple other buildings still in this city. Any chance of me finding something would be close to none. But just as I was ready to give up, I found a paper with the initials S, H, D and E on it. It was a set of instructions. Everything was in code, they were trying to hide what they were talking about. Near the bottom, I saw multiple numbers. Next to each initial was the number 13 million.

Folding the paper I put it into my pocket. I didn't know what to feel. Team Shade was going to be paid 13 million lien each to destroy Mt. Glenn. With everything written as code, I didn't know what the plan was exactly. All I knew was that they were paid to help Mt. Glenn collapse. Slamming my fist into the table, I was pissed. Hector the rest of Team Shade had hospitalized my mother, and doomed an entire city, for lien. For lien. Turning to leave, I felt something hit me in the back of the head.

" _The truth is Umbra... There is no such thing as hero's. There are no knights in shining armor ready to save the day. Hunters putting their lives at stake for others._ _Police keeping the peace._ _In this world,_ _you have to be strong. Y_ _ou have to look out for yoursel_ _f,_ _because no one else will. Your mother was a special case. She really did care for others. Even someone like me. Maybe that's why I was attracted to her._ _But that doesn't matter._ _It doesn't change the fact that at the end of the day, lien rules all._ _Your mother_ _couldn't understand that, and because she was weak. She paid the price._ "


	6. Inner Strength

Walking down a dimly lit hallway were two faunus. Both were members of the White Fang. One was wearing a uniform that made him look more important than the other.

"What are we doing Stephon? Shouldn't we be helping the others load the Dust?" Laughing, Stephon looked at the faunus to his right.

"We should be. Yes. But some idiot human stumbled into Mt. Glenn." As soon as Stephon heard the news, he knew he had to see the human for himself. After all, it had been a long time since he last got to kill one. Ever since Adam had stationed him at Mt. Glenn, he didn't get anytime to have fun.

"So? What does that have to do with us." The smaller faunus didn't have the best opinion of humans, but he didn't hate them. Hating the majority because of the actions of a few was foolish.

"Dear brother. Do you know when the last time I got to put a human in their place was?" Smirking, Stephon continued to lead the way. Once they reached a pair of doors, he knocked and waited for the guards to open the doors. Walking in, there was a human tied up to a metal folding char. Next to him was a wooden table with a Tanto sticking in it, small bits of blood could be seen dotting the table.

"So, this is the human. Eh? Doesn't look like much." Grabbing the human by the hair, he forced him to look up. "You guys didn't have too much fun without me, right? He's not already one foot in the grave is he?"

"No sir. We did play a game with that knife of his though. As you can see, he's pretty bad at it." The two guards laughed. With a sardonic grin, Stephon backed off slightly. Before he could do anything however, his scroll went off. With an angry huff, he pulled his scroll out of his pocket. Looking to see who was calling, he saw it was someone he couldn't ignore.

"This had better be important." With a scowl on his face, Stephon started pacing. "What do you mean? WHAT! Who let him near there!? Dammit, alright. I'll be down there as fast as I can." Hanging up, he quickly pocketed his scroll. "Brother, put the human down, we've got an emergency. Meet me near the closest Grimm collection point when you're done. You two, stay where you are."

* * *

Looking up, I watched as the obvious leader of the group ran off. Just my luck. The damn White Fang turned the city into a base. No wonder there was a lack of Grimm… I could only watch as the remaining faunus in front of me pulled his handgun out from it's holster. Pointing it to my head, he just stood there. Putting my head back down, I was resigned to my fate.

"Make it quick. Your boss needs your help." After a few seconds of silence there were two loud bangs. When I realized I was still breathing, I looked to see what happened. Turning on his friends, the faunus killed the two guards in the room. Grabbing Solar Eclipse from the table, he was going to free me.

"Listen to me. Run to the end of this hall and take a left. At the end of that hall, you will find a green door. Your gear will be in that room. Once you have everything, leave this place." What could have caused the faunus to have such a sudden change in heart?

"Why did you save me? Aren't these people your friends?" It was strange. Getting saved by someone you assumed was an enemy. When I was freed, I stood up and rubbed my wrists. The faunus put Solar Eclipse back down onto the table and made his way towards the double doors.

"These people are no friends of mine. And I've had it with this war. All this senseless killing, it's getting us nowhere." Slightly opening the doors, he checked to make sure no one was walking down the hall. Giving me one last look, he gave me a nod before slipping out of the room.

Picking up Solar Eclipse and it's sheathe from the table, I at least had a weapon. They all had guns however, so I couldn't engage large groups anyway. Sneaking out of the room, I made sure the coast was clear before bolting down the hall. Checking once again for any White Fang once I reached the end of the hall, I turned left. Reaching the green door, it opened as I reached for the handle. Walking out was a giant. When the faunus saw me, he sneered and threw me into the room.

Smashing into some boxes, my Aura took a blow no doubt. Before I could stand, he brought down a Katana that looked familiar. That bastard! Rolling out of the way, I got up quickly to face the behemoth in front of me. Just like I thought, he was wielding Lunar Eclipse. Damn him, now he's going to pay! Flipping Solar Eclipse into a reverse grip, I would have to stay on the move. Even with my sword, he would overpower me.

Staying low, I planned on using my lower height in this fight to my advantage. Running to his right, I dodged left and got a slash in. Not overstaying my welcome, I backed off quick while getting a quick second attack on his back. As long as things stayed like this, the fight was already in the bag. Being slower and taller than me, I was easily able to dodge and weave his attacks. My movements were like water, I could feel the flow of the battle.

When I moved in for another attack, he was done playing games. Sending me flying with an arm swing, I crashed into a set of weapons. My sword landing in front of me. Scooping it up, I was just missing one weapon now. Locking eyes with my opponent, he did something I didn't expect. Throwing a punch, he took out the only light in the room. Now in the dark, any hopes of winning were squashed. In the dark, I stood no chance. The faunus had better senses than humans, so while he could see in the dark, it would be like I was a kid at a birthday swinging blindly at a pinata.

With the light gone, the tide of the battle quickly shifted. Getting tossed around, there wasn't much I could do. Patting my jacket pockets, I felt the lighter I had stolen was still there. It was only a plain lighter, so they probably didn't see any value in it. Using the lighter as a light source only crossed my mind for a second. In the end, it wouldn't produce enough light. At best, I would only be able to see directly in front of me. By then it would be too late to do anything.

Not having my sight anymore, I tried to listen for my enemy. What I wasn't expecting was the giant to be so light on his feet. Without me hearing, he managed to get in close. Delivering a kick to my midsection, I was sent flying through a door I didn't know existed until now. Landing with a splash, the new room I was in was flooded. When I stood up, the water was at least up to my knees. Getting into my stance, there was no way he'd be able to stay silent in here.

Hearing a splash I knew I wasn't alone anymore. Tightening my grip, I readied myself. Moving forward I rushed where I heard the splash. Before I got too close, I tried dodge to the right while slashing left. Getting close lined I was knocked back to the floor. Getting submerged again, I shot my head out of the water and took a deep breath.

Feeling a pair of hands wrap around my neck, the bastard shoved me back down. He was trying to keep me under the water! Panicking, the worst had happened. Flailing my legs I tried to kick him off of me. Grabbing at his hands I also tried to pry his hands off my neck. Nothing was working, he was just too strong. Of all the ways I could have died on this journey of mine, drowning never once crossed my mind. It was the worst possible way to go, and I couldn't do anything about it.

Suddenly, I felt something inside me change. I don't know if it was the mixture of emotions that were running through me or what. All at the same time I felt angry, desperate, scared and helpless. Without thinking too much about it, something just felt… different. Moving without a second thought, I was standing up and away from the faunus. Looking at my hands, I could actually see them. Just as confused as me, my would be killer was looking around. Trying to find me. Rushing for my sword, my body was on autopilot.

Having access to my sword again, I rushed in. What felt like shifting realities, I once again couldn't see anything. Knowing where my enemy was however, I slashed down and attacked. Before he could retaliate, I slipped back into the other reality. For the rest of the fight, I wore him down. Each time I went into that other reality, my body would itch all over. It wasn't a good feeling.

Eventually I managed to wear him down. His Aura shattered and he was bleeding now. Moving quick, I slipped out and took back Lunar Eclipse. Not giving him a chance to retaliate, I sliced his head off. Kicking his body back, I didn't want him to fall on me and drown me anyway. Getting Lunar Eclipse's sheathe back, I got everything important to me back. Soaking wet, I now had to find a way out of this damn place.

* * *

Quickly walking through the halls of Atlas Academy, a lone soldier was looking for someone. Finding the door he was looking for, he knocked before entering the room. Sitting at her desk, a women was doing paperwork. Her hair was long and sandy blonde. Looking up at the person who interrupted her, her blue eyes hardened their gaze.

"Excuse me soldier, as you can see, I'm in the middle of something." Not happy about being interrupted, she wore a frown on her face.

"I'm sorry Captain Dubos, but this is important. It's related to your old team." After hearing this, she put her pen down and crossed her arms.

"Very well. You can continue." Standing up straight, the soldier continued on.

"A few days ago, the body of your old teammate Danial Lattke was found in a parking lot. Next to him was the body of a man identified as Mark Baran." Crossing her legs, the Captain put a hand to her chin in thought. "Mark Baran suffered a deep laceration to his neck. It's believed he bleed to death within seconds. Danial Lattke however, suffered from many lacerations. What killed him was an injury to his heart." Standing up, the Captain wandered over to the window.

"Do the authorities in Vale know who's responsible?" While she didn't know who Mark was personally, she had met him on a few occasions. Danial however, Eliza knew that he had many enemies.

"While the authorities can't be certain, they do have a prime suspect. Around midnight the same night that both Mark Baran and Danial Lattke were found dead; Umbra Hart was spotted on camera leaving his mothers hospital room. The next day, she was dead." Whipping around, Eliza wore a shocked expression on her face.

"Umbra? No. That can't be right. Are they sure it's him?" Eliza knew that Umbra killing anyone wasn't possible, much less his own mother. "Danial I can understand. But who would want to kill Sera?" What she said was more of a question for herself than the messenger in the room.

"With no external injuries, it's believed that she died from either asphyxia or poisoning. There's always the possibility that she died from her injuries that hospitalized her in the first place, but with the current state of affairs in Vale, authorities are on edge. Until her autopsy comes back, we won't know for sure. When they are done, I can forward the toxicology report to you if you wish." Pacing back and forth, Eliza had many thoughts running through her head.

"That won't be necessary." Nodding, the soldier understood.

"With Umbra Hart as the prime suspect in all three killings, a warrant for his arrest will be broadcast to every kingdom. In order to link Umbra to the killings of Mark Baran and Danial Lattke, a confession will be needed. Due to the storm that passed through Vale, any DNA left at the crime scene was washed away." Everything she was told seemed like a lie. It just didn't seem real.

"I need to think what you've told me over. You're dismissed soldier." With a quick 'Yes ma'am.' he was gone. Left alone, Eliza was trying to make sense of things. If Umbra was truly the one behind all this, she wanted to be the one to bring him in. That way, she could be the first one to question him.

* * *

Sipping from a mug, a man in a green suit was enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. On the screen in front of him, he was watching footage of a certain trespasser. Twice now he's passed through the Emerald Forest. With the recent news, he wouldn't be surprised to learn that Umbra had a hand in it. No doubt the local police force had the same idea in mind. Seeing an opportunity, the man knew Umbra would have one of two options if he were to be caught.

While he had some skill, Umbra would be no match for a team of highly skilled first years. If he were to bring Umbra to Beacon, who knows what he would become capable of. At the same time, memories of his father were still vivid. Hector's betrayal had been a shock to him. He hadn't seen the signs until it was too late. The sad part is he had showed so much potential as well. It was a mistake he would never make again.

Umbra would prove to be a useful tool, as long as he got to him in time. If Umbra were to fall into his enemies hands, he would just have to eliminate him. The only reason he allowed Hector to live was due to Umbra, but if he were to side with the enemy… All bets were off. Taking another sip of his hot chocolate, he leaned back and thought of how to reach Umbra before the authorities did. All he would have to do is make his capture a mission. With his plan coming together, the man knew just the team to send.


	7. Crossing Roads

Fidgeting with her hands, Ruby Rose was riding up an elevator. Along side her was the rest of Team RWBY. She was the leader yes, but she couldn't help but feel nervous. Getting called up to the Headmasters office so early in the year, it felt like they had done something wrong. Next to her, Weiss looked annoyed. As for Yang and Blake, Yang looked bored and Blake… Well, was being Blake. Nothing ever seemed to faze her. Reaching the top floor, all four of them stepped out. Sitting at his desk drinking from his mug was Headmaster Ozpin.

"Team RWBY. It's good to see all of you. How are you four getting along?" Team RWBY walked up to his desk. "Please, take a seat. I have something important to talk to you about." Sitting like they were told, Ruby was still nervous. Taking the lead in this, Yang asked the first question that was on all their minds.

"So uh, what did we do?" Taking another sip from his mug, Ozpin couldn't help but smirk inwardly. It was only natural for them to feel nervous. After all, they had no idea they were about to be sent on a very important mission.

"No need to worry. You're not in any trouble." Hearing this, the members of Team RWBY relaxed. "In fact, I called all of you here for a very important mission." This caused the red reaper to perk up.

"A mission!? An important one!?" All of the worry in her body disappeared. The excitement of having an important mission trusted with them replaced it. "Are we defending a village? Rescuing some people?" Before she could start rapid firing questions, her sister Yang stopped her.

"No, nothing like that. Have any of you seen the news?"This caused the four of them to start thinking. Their mission would be related to the news? Thinking she knew what he was talking about, Weiss spoke up.

"Are you talking about the deaths of Serafanda Hart and Danial Lattke? What could the deaths of two members of Team SHDE have to do with our mission?" Not surprised that Weiss was the one to figure it out, Ozpin continued. Putting his mug down, he put his hands together and slightly leaned forward.

"As you might have heard, the authorities haven't been able to find their killers." Leaning back into his seat, he could see Team RWBY was still confused. "But that's only what they're telling the media. Truthfully, they have a suspect in mind. It's just being hidden from the public." Understanding what he was talking about, Blake asked the next question.

"You want us to hunt down the person who did it. Right?" Now understanding what their mission was, there was a new question at least one member of Team RWBY had. Weiss voiced her annoyance before Ozpin could start speaking.

"Didn't Team SHDE disband after the incident at Mt. Glenn? The four of them are scum anyways, so why should I care about them?" Crossing her arms, Weiss didn't care in the slightest about any of the members of Team SHDE.

"While it's true that Team SHDE disbanded, I'm not sending you after the person who killed them in order to avenge their deaths. I'm sending you to bring him back to Beacon." This shocked the members of Team RWBY. Why would Ozpin want to bring a dangerous criminal back to Beacon? Wanting to just start their mission already, Yang decided to get things rolling.

"Alright, if that's what you want Ozpin. But before we start searching for the person, we have to know who we're after." Knowing that they were surprised to learn about their mission, Ozpin couldn't wait to see their faces when he told them who was responsible. Dragging it out for a bit longer, he picked his mug back up and took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"The person the authorities have marked as the prime suspect, the one you'll be hunting. Is Umbra Hart. The son of Hector and Serafanda Hart." Just as he thought, they were left speechless. After all, why would someone kill their own mother and a member of their parents old team? "When you are ready, a Bullhead will be waiting for you outside. I have the utmost faith in you Team RWBY."

* * *

Annoyingly, the first hurdle standing in my way was something so cliche. The mountains close to Vale. In order to continue my journey, I would need to scale the mountain. With my newfound Semblance it wouldn't be all that difficult. Once nighttime hit, all I had to do was speed up it with the use of my Semblance. At the top I looked around. Hanging in the night sky was the shattered moon. The stars dotting the rest of the sky. Ever since I escaped Mt. Glenn, I had been exhausted. Being by myself, I had no one to protect me while I slept. Deciding that this would be an okay enough place to sleep, I looked around for either an overhang or a cave. Even if there were no Grimm nearby, there was always the possibility of a Nevermore flying overhead.

Finding a place to safely rest, I took my weapons off and placed them nearby. They were close enough to grab just in case something happened. Now that I finally had time to rest, I had time to think about everything I had been through up until now. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the paper I had found. Since I got dunked into that water, it was pretty much destroyed. The only evidence I had. Gone. Frustrated, I threw the paper. No longer any use to me there was no use in carrying it around anymore. Putting my heads behind my head, I closed my eyes. It was cold, and I knew no matter where I was outside safety wasn't assured.

When daytime hit, I was woken up by the sound of birds. Standing up to stretch, I grabbed my gear after. From up above, a sound caught my attention. Flying over me was a Bullhead. Where ever they were going, they were in a hurry. Remembering I had somewhere to be as well, I started moving. Walking down the mountain was much easier than going up it would have been. If I hadn't been so tired last night, I would have just gone down it as well.

Reaching the next village, I thought I'd stop to get something to eat. In the previous villages I had done some work in order to earn lien. Back at Mt. Glenn those White Fang grunts had stolen whatever I had on me. I didn't really care though. After all, I had stolen it from Hector. Not like it belonged to me in the first place. Finding a quick place to eat, I sat down and ordered. Since it was a sit down and eat sort of place, I didn't feel at ease. My back was exposed to all the people walking behind me. For all I knew, friends of Hector and Danial had found out what I'd done. There was a possibility that people were after me now. If it was true what they said about stress, I would be an old man by the time my journey was over.

As much as I hated slowing down, I knew I couldn't push myself. Trying to push my body beyond it's limits would only end with my death. If I was too weak or tired to fight, even a Beowolf could kill me. Having payed when I sat down, I left quickly when I was finished. Nothing was left for me in this village, so I wanted to continue on my way. On my way out I saw a familiar figure. Walking with a group, a girl with a red hood was here. She was fighting the guys in suits the last time I saw her. Was she a Huntress? Or worse. A friend of Hectors? Since she was with a group, it would make more sense that they were all Huntress's. If that was the case, that meant I was being hunted now. Grimm, Hunters, criminals and the police. Who didn't want my head?

Trying my best to blend in with the crowd, I was hoping they wouldn't see me. Getting into a fight with a team of Hunters wasn't the smartest move. Just as I was nearing the exit, I heard a shout from behind me.

"Hey, wait up!" Looking back, a girl with blonde hair was waving at me. It was one of the girls from the group. Her friend with white hair smacked her on the back of the head. With my cover blown, I bolted. Once I was in the forest, my escape would be easy. What I wasn't expecting was the red one to have so much speed. It must have been her semblance. Ducking her attempt at grabbing me, I was in the shadows now. After some testing, I found out how my semblance worked. The only way I could use it was when I was in the dark. Every time I did use it, my body would start to itch. It was so bad, I could only use it in short bursts. If I didn't, the feeling would start to turn painful.

Slipping in and out of the shadows, the girl somehow managed to keep up with me. Her semblance was starting to get on my nerves. If I wasn't able to outrun her, I'd just have to slow her down myself. Unsheathing the sword on my back, I swung it at her. Taking out her scythe just in time we clashed with our weapons. Luckily for me we ran quite a ways away from her group. As long as I acted fast enough, I'd be able to fight her off and run away before her team showed up.

Jumping back to gain some distance, I got into my stance. Getting into her own stance, we stared each other down. If I were to just kill her and her team, I'd be able to stop them from chasing me easily. At the same time, killing a team of Hunters would just give me more heat. That was something I wanted to avoid at all costs. Using my semblance, I got behind her and attacked. Not expecting me to make the first move, I was able to get a hit off on her.

Keeping the attack up, I rushed her. Once she caught herself with her semblance, I went back to using mine. With it, I was able to attack her blind spots. Each time I slipped into the shadows, she tried to find where I went. Her reaction time was really fast. Most likely it was linked to her semblance. Being able to move that fast, she'd need the reaction time to match. Because of this I couldn't attack her head on. Each time I slashed at her, there was less Aura protecting her. If I was able to shatter her Aura, she would lose access to her semblance.

Looking at her face I could tell she was getting frustrated. One more time, I slipped into the shadows and slashed at her blind spot. It was strong enough to send her flying. It was done, her Aura was gone. With a scared look on her face, she started backing away.

"If you're smart, you'll stop chasing me. Next time I won't let you walk away." It was a bluff, but I needed her to be scared. Even if they didn't stop chasing me, it would lower her morale. Making it harder to fight. Before the rest of her team showed up, I ran. Using my semblance I started speeding away. Once I was happy with the distance I made I slowed down. Returning to the path I made sure to stay next to the forest. That way I could run if another annoyance showed it's face.

* * *

"Ruby! Ruby are you okay!?" Rushing to her sisters side, Yang was panicked.

"Yeah, I'm fine Yang. Just lost my Aura is all." Sheepishly rubbing the back of her head, she was a little embarrassed. Ruby thought for sure she'd be able to bring him in.

"Alright, now that that's settled… Don't you ever run off like that again, okay? This guys dangerous. Remember? He could have killed you!" Crossing her arms and huffing, Weiss gave Yang a cold glare.

"She wouldn't have had to chase after him if _someone_ had kept their mouth shut!" After shrugging, Yang put her hands on her hips.

"I just thought that if I used my charm, I'd be able to bring him in without a fight." Pinching the bridge of her nose, Weiss shook her head.

"Guys can you please stop fighting? It isn't helping." Stopping their bickering, Weiss and Yang settled down. Gathering herself, the leader of Team RWBY was still shaken up. The last thing Umbra said before leaving was stuck in her mind. It sent chills down her spine. Next time, she wouldn't chase after him by herself in fear of him acting on his word.

"Something the matter Ruby?" Placing a hand on her shoulder, Yang noticed something was wrong with her sister.

"No, nothings wrong. What would make you think that?" Giving her a look, Yang knew for sure something was wrong now. "Why don't we get moving? The longer we stay here, the farther away he gets." Leading the way, Ruby and the rest of her team continued their hunt. Next time, they wouldn't make the same mistake.

* * *

Walking down the forest's path, I kept looking behind me every so often. It was a terrible feeling, being hunted. On top of that, no doubt all my negative emotions were attracting Grimm. So not only was I being hunted, I was most likely being stalked as well. Breaking me out of my thoughts, there was a commotion up ahead. Getting closer, I could see a couple of White Fang grunts were robbing a family. They were holding them at gunpoint. Spotting me, one of them pointed their guns at me.

"You! Put your hands up and get over here!" Annoyed, I did as he said. Then, a thought popped into my head. Why don't I have some fun with them? I could use the situation to let some of my anger out. Keeping his gun trained on me, another member took the swords off my back and hip. What they didn't know is that I had a blade hidden under my jacket.

"I see the White Fang's still seeking peace. How's that going?" What I said pissed them off. If I could get all of their attention, it would make this easier. In total, there were five of them. Since I wanted to get this over with, I would need to act fast. As I slipped into the shadows, I unsheathed Solar Eclipse. Killing the one that had their gun on the family, I quickly slipped out of sight after. Popping in and out of the shadows, I sliced all of their necks before they could fully comprehend what had happened. Wiping my Tanto clean, I sheathed it. While flapping my jacket to get their blood off of me, I walked towards my gear. As I was putting my gear back on, the father spoke to me.

"Thank you for the save there. You must be a Huntsman." Holding his hand out to me, it was obvious that he wanted to shake hands. "My name is Ni-" Holding my left hand up, I didn't bother to look back at him.

"I don't care what your name is. Also, I'm not a Huntsman. The only reason I killed them was because I got caught up in this mess. Wrong place, right time." Turning to leave, I didn't bother saying anymore. The fool thought I was here to save them, but honestly. I couldn't care less. I had other things to do. Leaving the family to gather their things, I was on my way again. However, I couldn't help but feel as though I was being watched. Did those Hunters catch back up to me?

After a few hours of walking, the sky started to change from a bright blue to a dull gray. Clouds were gathering over head. More rain. As if this journey wasn't bad enough already. Once I reached the next village, I would have to see if they had anything with a hood on it. Not only would it keep the rain out, but it would hide my identity from a distance as well. Even with all the challenges stacked against me, I couldn't falter now. All I had left was my revenge. Without that, I was nothing. I'm not even sure if I was still human. In the past, killing a person never once crossed my mind. Not even Silver and his friends. But now? There was very little separating me from the things I once swore to destroy. Feeling drops of rain hitting my face, it was starting. Walking onward, it was the only thing I could do. Turning back wasn't an option. Whatever it took, I _would_ avenge my mother and the countless people who lost their lives at Mt. Glenn.

* * *

"You're sure he will be of use to us?" Standing in a dimly lit room was a women wearing a crimson dress. The person she was talking to wasn't currently in the room. "Yes. Of course I know who his parents are." Shifting her weight from her left leg to her right, she crossed her arms. "Very well. If that is what you wish, then I shall make it happen." Having finished her conversation with the mystery person, the women made her way out of the room. Her new mission was to intercept Umbra Hart and recruit him to their cause. While she didn't like having to postpone her current plan, the Vytal Festival wouldn't be for awhile longer. That meant she still had some time to spare before rolling the ball of fate into action. With a smirk, her amber eyes seemed to light up. She had the perfect plan to recruit Umbra. One that would involve her taking a quick trip to Atlas.


	8. Clashing Morals

"Damiannnn. When's the next village. I'm getting tired. Oh, and hungry." Walking down the forests path were three cloaked figures. Two of them were following closely behind the leader of the group.

"In time Alfred. Instead of focusing on that, why not count the leaves on each tree?" Groaning, the more heavyset man kept quiet after that.

"You know Damian, I'm surprised you didn't have us do this sooner." Now standing next to the groups leader, the feminine sounding one matched his pace. "To be honest I've been wanting to-"

"Lexi, shush. Alfred, use your semblance so we can get closer." Doing as he was told, Alfred activated his semblance. He made it so no one would be able to hear them approach. Once the group got close enough, they could see a small group of White Fang members were holding some humans hostage and robbing them.

"Those bastards." Growling out her anger, Lexi curled her hand into a fist. "Come on, lets go mess those scum bags up." Putting his hand up to her, Damian stopped Lexi from going through with her attack.

"Wait. That fourth human. He'll handle this." Surprised, Lexi looked towards Damian.

"What? How do you know?" Pointing towards the robbing, Damian didn't say anything. Just as Damian had predicted, the fourth human vanished before reappearing and killing the grunt holding the other humans hostage. Doing the same thing to the rest of the grunts present, he saved them. "Whoa. He just took them all out before they could fire a single shot."

"Hey D. Before you say anything, I think I know what you're thinking about." Slinging his arm around Damian's shoulder, Alfred put on a big smile. "You want to recruit him. Right?" Taking Alfred's arm off his shoulder, Damian jumped off the tree they were observing from. Not long after, his two friends followed.

"Just the three of us won't be able to accomplish our goal. Having a fourth member wouldn't change that, but it would help." Putting a hand to her chin, Lexi wasn't convinced.

"Are you sure? I mean, I know he took those guys out, but what if that was just a fluke?" Keeping his gaze forward, Damian started walking.

"Fluke or not, we'll need all the help we can get. Let's go." Looking at Lexi, Alfred shrugged. If their leader was okay with recruiting the human, they would trust him. They had been through a lot together and learned to trust his judgment.

Following the human to a village, he sat down to eat. Clasping his hands together, Alfred got excited.

"Damian. Look. That noodle shop. Can we stop there? Come on. Please? It's famous!" Face palming, Lexi shook her head. Damian however noticed a strange group. Three of them were dressed in bright colors, and at least three of them had visible weapons.

"That will have to wait. Look." Pointing Lexi and Alfred to the group that had caught his attention, Alfred almost seemed to deflate. Choosing to watch from a distance, the three waited to see what happened. Once the human they were after finished eating, he too seemed to notice the four that entered the village. Trying to sneak off, he was spotted. From the looks of it, they knew each other. Running, the four chased after him. Rushing after them, the group of cloaked figures stayed hidden by traveling in the trees.

When they caught up to the two that ran off, they were about to fight. Watching the fight unfold, the one they had their eyes on turned out to be the winner. His semblance essentially gave him the win. After he said something, he ran off. More determined to recruit the human after seeing that, they followed after him from the shadows.

* * *

By the time I reached the next village, it was night. The rain still hadn't let up, but at the very least it wasn't a full blown storm. People were acting strangely however. Everyone was staring at me. They didn't know who I was or what I did, did they? Either way, their stares meant that they did trust me. Maybe they just didn't trust outsiders was all. Tired from not only the long walk, but my fight as well, I needed to find a place to sleep. Seeing that this village had an inn, I entered the building.

Entering the front doors, I was greeted to a bar. People were laughing, playing pool and darts and of course chugging glasses full of different types of alcohol. Taking a guess, the bartender probably was in charge of renting out rooms. If not, at least they'd know who I should go to. Walking up to the bar, I didn't bother to sit down.

"Do you have any free rooms for the night?" In the middle of filling someone's order, the bartender looked over his shoulder at me.

"Ah, of course. Though uh, I'm not sure if you want to stay here." Whispering the last part to me, he darted his eyes around the room.

"Just tell me how much." Crossing my arms, I didn't have time for whatever crap he was going to tell me. Whatever he was trying to warn me about, I just didn't care.

"Alright. If you're sure. One second." Having finished filling the glass, he took it to the person waiting at the other end of the bar. Coming back to where I was, he put his hands on the bar top. "If you're sure about staying here, due to uh. New management. It's 2,000 lien per night." What? He was joking. Right?

"You're lying. How much does it really cost." I wasn't going to be swindled by some stupid innkeeper. Even if I never got out much, I do remember signs in Vale. Hotels only went up to 800, and that was inside city walls.

"Trust me. I wish I was." Taking a quick look around, he leaned in. "These bandits moved in and took the whole city over. Because of them, our whole village is losing business. No body wants to do anything because they're worried for their families." Sighing, I dropped my arms to my side.

"Where's their leader? I'll have a talk with him." Nodding his head in a direction, he was subtly point towards a table near the back. Looking in that direction, I could see a table with less people than the others. At it, a gaudy looking man with spiky hair sat with two others. Walking towards the table, a few people watched me approach.

"Well now, look at dis. Whaddya want?" Their leader was surprisingly laid back. It was probably due to him owning the town. If what the bartender told me was true that is. Putting my hands on the table, I slightly leaned in.

"I'm pretty tired. I'd like to spend the night here, but wouldn't you know it, I can't afford the 2,000 lien price tag." Smiling, his goons laughed.

"Well don't that suck. If ya want ta spend tha' night, ya gots ta pay up. If ya can't do that, beat it." Some of his nearby men heard our conversation and started crowding around. What I was about to do was a big risk, but it was just dim enough inside that I could probably use my semblance. Sighing, I took a quick look down at the table before looking back at the boss.

"How about I offer a proposition." Grabbing his drink, I threw the contents into his face before setting it back down. "Outside. One on one. I win, you and your freaks leave this place and don't come back. I lose, and you can kill me. Deal?" After a round of gasps throughout the room, it went silent. Having as much attention as I did made me uncomfortable.

"You're on! I'm gonna make ya regret that, punk!" Taking the lead, we made our way outside into the rain. When people saw the large group gather around outside, they too crowded to see what was going on. Knowing that bandits lied all the time, I couldn't trust them to hold their end of the deal. Outside, I could spill their blood without worrying about having to pay for the clean up. They had no idea about my semblance so it was going to be a slaughter.

Reaching up, I gripped onto the sword strapped to my back. Already having his sword out, the bandit leader stared at me with anger in his eyes. Lowering myself, I got ready to use my semblance. As I disappeared into the shadows, I unsheathed my sword. Appearing again behind the bandit leader, I sliced his head off. Slipping into the shadows again, I rushed the two that were sitting at the table next to him. Taking their heads as well, I was pretty sure I had gotten rid of their upper command. Screams could be heard from bandits and villagers alike.

Not letting the other bandits get away, I killed those that tried to run. After I cut down the last one, I cleaned my sword and sheathed it. Once everything was said and done, those that had stayed to see the fight cheered. Scowling, I could hear people saying how happy they were a Huntsman had appeared. It was the second time someone had mistaken me for one of those selfish assholes. Walking back towards the inn/bar, I was ready to finally go to sleep.

* * *

Along with the morning came sunshine. The rain was finally gone. For the night, Team RWBY had to find shelter from the rain deeper in the forest. Taking shifts, they made sure no Grimm snuck up on them. Now traveling on the path, they could see the next village ahead.

"Finally. Almost there guys." Stretching, Yang couldn't wait to get this mission over with. The sooner they brought that jerk in, the faster she could get back to sleeping in her own bed.

"Remember Yang. We're going to sneak up on him this time, _not_ announce our presence and scare him off." Folding her arms across her chest, Weiss gave Yang a glare.

"Aw come on. You're still going on about that?" Huffing, Weiss looked away. She didn't want to get in a fight when they were so close to the village. Walking into the place, it was filled with people going about their days. Oddly, smiles were on all their faces. They must be celebrating something today. Picking a random person, they walked up to them to ask if they had seen the person they were after.

"Excuse me. Ma'am? Have you seen this person?" Taking her scroll out, Ruby extended it to show a picture of Umbra. Seeing the picture, the women's smile got bigger.

"Him? Who hasn't! That's the person who saved our village last night from a group of bandits! If you're looking for him, he stayed the night at our inn over there." Pointing towards a large building, Team RWBY thanked the woman and made their way towards the inn.

"That was unexpected." Blake threw in her two cents. Surprised that a murderer would go out of his way to save a village.

"He must have demanded that they paid him. Who knows. Maybe he was working with the bandits to extort the village." With her hands on her hips, Weiss refused to believe that a criminal would willingly save someone, or a village for that matter. Entering the inn, the team walked up to the bartender. Asking the balding man the same question as the lady outside, he smiled.

"Yeah I know 'em. He saved our village, so I let him stay the night for free. Before the sun came up though, he left." Scoffing Weiss rolled her eyes.

"How much did you pay him?" Laughing, the man crossed his arms.

"Didn't pay him a single lien. Wouldn't accept it. Said all he wanted was some peace a quiet. After killing the bandits and freeing our village, he more than earned a free stay." Hearing this, Ruby's blood ran cold.

"He… Killed them?" Remembering what Umbra had told her after their fight, a shiver went down her spine.

"That scum! It's hard to believe he's related to two Hunters. Even if they turned their backs on Mt. Glenn, at least they never personally killed anyone!" Shaking her fist, Weiss was determined to bring such a villain to justice!

"Either way, he saved the village. Didn't even ask for anything but a nights rest in return. The way I see it, he's a hero. Now if you'll excuse me girls, I've got a bar to tend." Seeing a customer had sat down, he went to take his order.

"Well gang, guess we've got to continue our hunt. Let's go." Taking the lead, Yang signaled for the team to follow her. As they were leaving, the young leader of Team RWBY felt conflicted. It was true that Umbra had killed a bunch of people… But they were bandits. He saved these people and didn't get anything in return out of it. Sure, he got to stay a night for free, but it's not like he got a lot of lien or anything. While Ruby was still scared of him, she wasn't certain what to think of him. Maybe Weiss was right, maybe he did what he did for some reason they weren't aware of. At the end of it all, they still had to bring him back to Beacon.

* * *

On my way to the next village, I ran into yet another annoyance. Charging out from the forest to my left, a child that had to be at least nine or ten ran into me crying his eyes out. Behind him was an Ursa, it must have been chasing him. Prying the child off of me, I unsheathed my sword and rushed the Ursa. In one clean slice, I decapitated it. Vanishing into dust, or ash, or whatever particles they turn into when they die, it got carried off by the win. Sheathing the sword onto my back, I turned to face the kid. Still crying, the brat wouldn't shut up. Walking over to him, I put my hand on his shoulder and shook him slightly to snap him out of it.

"Kid, look at me. It's over." Sniffling, he rubbed his brown eyes and looked up at me. Snot was running down his face. Disgusting.

"They… They…" Before he could say anymore, the kid started crying again. Annoyed, I shook him again. I didn't have time for this. "My parents are dead!" I wasn't surprised. A kid crying while running from a Grimm could only mean one of two things. Sighing I stepped back a little.

"Clean yourself up kid and follow me. I'll at least take you to the next village." Cleaning his face up as best as he could, he followed closely behind me. I had to give it to him. The kid was brave. Being able to carry on after watching his parents die, it took a lot of strength. Then again, at his age, he probably did so more out of fear than self perseverance. Pocketing my hands, the two of us walked down the path to the next village. With a sniffling child in tow, I couldn't wait to get there. After awhile of walking, the kid spoke up.

"Mister. Can I, uh, hold your hand?" Looking down at the kid, I thought it was a weird request.

"Why?" If it wasn't for a good reason, I didn't want to hold some kids snot covered hand.

"It would make me feel better. My parents would hold my hands whenever we went on long walks." Sighing, it was a tough call. In the end, I figured why not. If it would quiet him down than it was worth it. Taking my right hand out of my pocket, I held the kids hand. Just like I thought, he got quiet. Because I was stuck holding the brats hand, the walk felt like forever. When we reached the next village, the sun was just going down. Up above the sky was alight with varying colors of red, orange and pink.

"Hey you, let that kid go!" From behind me, I heard a familiar voice. Letting go of the kids hand, I turned around. Standing there were the four Hunters that were after me.

"Kid. Head to the village and find someone to take care of you. I have something to deal with." The village was so close, the kid was in no danger to go by himself now. Hesitant, the kid didn't want to leave my side.

"Thank you for saving me mister." With that said, the child ran off. Reaching for the weapon on my back, I slowly started edging my way towards the trees. While I could outrun most of the team and beat them to the forest, the red one had me worried. With her semblance, she could easily catch me before I made it.

"Now. Since there's four of us, and one of you, why don't you make this easy and just give up?" Holding her fists up into a brawlers stance, the blonde haired one was trying to talk me into giving myself up. Scoffing, I'd have to decline.

"No thanks. Numbers don't mean anything if your opponent is more skilled than you." That got a rise out of them. Unsheathing my sword, I rushed towards the woods. As soon as I touched the shadows, I was gone. Unlike last time I wasn't able to get as far. Blocking my path, the red one intercepted me. Clashing with her, she kept me from making it any farther. Soon enough the rest of her team caught up to us. Surrounded, I didn't like the odds. What I said was only a bluff. My only hope was that my bluff scared them. Scared people were more likely to make mistakes.

Barely having enough time to get into my stance, I was rushed by the white haired one. Deflecting her attack, the red one was the next one to rush me. Because of this I couldn't counter attack the white haired one. Dodging the giant scythe, I blocked the blonde one's fist with the flat side of my blade. Getting sent back, I was attacked by the black haired one. Ducking her slash, I was actually able to counter attack her. Falling towards the ground, I used my semblance to catch myself. Appearing behind the white haired one I slashed downwards and spiked her to the ground.

Punching me in the back, the blonde brawler got a hit off on me. Evading her combo with my semblance, I sent her flying with a slash of my sword. Vanishing again, I appeared over the black haired one and delivered a helm breaker. Spinning like a top, I blocked an attack from the one in red. Pushing her scythe up, I delivered a kick to her gut to buy me some room. In rapid succession, I used my semblance to deliver a strike to each Huntress. Seeing the blonde ones eyes burn a bright red, I knew that had to be her semblance. Dodging her next attack was crucial. Slipping into the shadows I evaded her. When I reappeared, I saw her accidentally hit one of her teammates. Her fist connected with the one in red and really sent her flying. Smacking into a tree, she was down for the count.

"RUBY!" Rushing to her friends side, the blonde one let her guard down. In order to keep me from getting close to them, the white haired one and the black haired one put themselves in between us. If I really wanted to press the attack and kill the now named Ruby, I could just use my semblance. Since I really didn't want to draw more heat, I didn't. Seeing a chance to escape however, I took it. With Ruby down, none of the remaining Huntress's would be able to keep up with me. Darting off, I evaded them once more. Skipping the nearby village, sleep would have to wait until the next village.

The next village I arrived at would be the final one in Sanus. There, I would be able to take either a Bullhead or a boat to reach Solitas. Before I did that though, I would need the lien for a warmer jacket and a ticket. Hopefully the injuries Ruby received would be enough to slow their group down. As much as I hated the feeling that came with my semblance, I would have to use it to speed up my trip. It would put more distance between me and the Hunters. I was close. So close. I wasn't going to let anything get in my way.

* * *

"Yes, I've arrived in Atlas. I've brought both Emerald and Mercury with me." Looking over the Kingdom of Atlas, the women in the crimson dress was taking to her yet to be seen companion. "Once Umbra reaches Mantle, I'll make sure to give him a little help in reaching his goal." Smirking, the women walked away from the giant window in front of her. "With Emeralds help, he'll have no problems infiltrating Atlas Academy. When he's finished, I'll be sure to recruit him then." From the darkness, her amber eyes glowed. Her smirk turning into a grin, as she had the utmost faith that her plan would succeed. For someone so consumed by anger and hatred… Someone with revenge stuck on their mind… Someone such as Umbra… They would be all too easy to bring towards their cause.


	9. Minor Setbacks

"That jerk! When I get my hands on him, I'm going to…" Pacing back and forth, saying Yang was angry would be an understatement. After their fight, Team RWBY regrouped in the nearby village. Due to the force behind Yang's punch and the impact into the tree, Ruby was knocked unconscious. After a brief talk, Team RWBY had settled on staying at the current village to rest and recover.

"Yang can you calm down? We need to come up with a plan to bring Umbra to justice." Annoyed at Yangs pacing, Weiss was trying to talk her down.

"Yang, I'm okay now, really. Why don't you listen to Weiss? We really need to come up with a plan." With a huff, Yang crossed her arms and sat down in a nearby chair. After Ruby calmed her sister down, the room went silent. Everyone was deep in thought, trying to think of a way to catch Umbra. His speed was almost on par with Ruby, and his semblance made him unpredictable. Suddenly, something about their fight felt off to Weiss.

"Did anybody notice something off about his semblance?" Putting a hand to her chin, Weiss was waiting for someone to jump in. Yang took the initiative.

"Well. He sure was teleporting a lot." Face palming, that wasn't what Weiss was waiting for.

"That's not what I'm talking about you dunce!" Peaking out from over her book, Blake thought she'd join in on the conversation.

"He only used his semblance in the dark." The three other members of Team RWBY looked her way. "When he ran, he didn't use his semblance until he was in the shadows of the trees." Happy someone else noticed, Weiss stood up.

"Exactly! So if that's the case, he can only use his semblance in the dark!" A smile spread across her face. With their newfound information, catching Umbra would be a piece of cake.

"That means we just have to catch him out in the open where he can't use his semblance." Standing up as well, Ruby was ready to go. With the beginnings of a plan, her morale was restored. "Come on guys, lets get after him!" However, Yang was still worried.

"Are you sure you're okay now Ruby? It's only been a few days." Putting her hands on her hips and puffing her chest out, Ruby smiled.

"Of course I am Yang. Either way, the longer we stay here, the farther away he gets." Looking at her partner, Blake shrugged and put her book away. Taking the lead, Ruby led the team towards the exit of the village. As they were about to leave, a child came running up to them.

"Wait! Please wait!" When he finally caught up to the four girls, he was out of breath. "You were the four people that wanted to talk to that Huntsman who saved me. Do you know where he went?" With confused looks on their faces, they didn't know what he was talking about. Then, it hit Ruby.

"You mean Umbra?" Smiling, the boy shook his head yes. Much to Team RWBY's surprise.

"He saved me from an Ursa that was chasing me. It… killed my parents. My grandparents wanted to thank him, but we can't find him." Just like that, his smile was gone. For him, his parents death still didn't feel real. Not believe that Umbra would save a child, Weiss scoffed.

"That man wasn't saving you out of the good of his heart, he was hoping to earn something out of it." Yang gave Weiss a subtle jab to quiet her.

"Well, even if that's why he did it, he still saved me." Giving the kid a smile, Yang knelt down.

"We're actually looking for him ourselves. We'll make sure to tell him thanks for your grandparents. Okay?" Smiling at that, the kid nodded and gave his thanks. As he ran off, Yang stood up. Not really having else to say, Team RWBY set off.

Along the way, it was pretty uneventful. No Grimm. No bandits. Nothing. Not that anyone was complaining, after all, they needed their energy to fight Umbra. Knowing they couldn't fight him at night or in dark areas, they would have to wait to fight during the day.

Arriving at the next village, the members of Team RWBY were shocked to see the state it was in. It had seen better days, that was for sure. Judging by it's state, a Grimm attack must have happened. Walking through the place, they could see people hard at work repairing destroyed buildings. As the village was water front, there were only so many places their target could have run. If he even came this way that is. Looking for someone who wasn't busy putting the place back together, or at least free at the moment, they needed to find out if he had been here.

"Excuse me, sir? Have you seen this person?" Finding someone, Ruby showed him the picture of Umbra on her Scroll.

"Him? I haven't seen 'em since a few nights ago. You might want to ask Mary, she lives in and runs the local clinic. It's right over there." Pointing towards a house that was at least still intact, they had a new destination. "Him and a couple others stayed there after the attack. If anyone knew where he went, it would be her." Thanking the man, Team RWBY made their way towards Mary's. Knocking on her door, they were greeted by a smiling women with long black hair.

"Hello there. Do you need something?" She was pretty cheery for someone who's village was recently attacked. Though someone had to keep spirits high.

"Yes actually. We want to know if you've seen this man." Weiss took the lead from here. Recognizing the man in the photo, Mary's smile got wider.

"I remember that young man. Him and three others helped defend the village when it was attacked by Grimm. They stayed here for awhile after, but I think they parted ways." Hijacking the conversation before Weiss could complain about Umbra 'helping', Yang stepped in.

"Do you know where the one in the photo went? We're kinda looking for him." Putting a hand to her chin, the women thought for a moment.

"He said he was going to Atlas. He only told me he owed someone something there. Are you friends of his?" Shaking her head, Weiss walked off.

"Not quite. But we're trying to bring him back to Beacon. Thank you for your help ma'am." Exchanging goodbyes, Team RWBY took their leave. Catching up with Weiss, the team had to come up with a new plan of attack.

"So. He's off to Atlas. That works out in our favor, right?" Trying to keep Weiss from derailing the mission by complaining about Umbra, Yang tried to get the rest of her teams input on the current situation.

"As long as we know where he's going, why don't we cut him off? Weiss, you're from Atlas, do you know any good places to set up an ambush?" Thinking on what her partner and leader said, Weiss crossed her arms.

"Well. There is an abandoned village he'll have to pass through. If we're fast enough, we can set up and catch him off guard." With a plan in mind, all that was left was to set it in motion. Calling for a Bullhead, Team RWBY was going to return to Beacon to gear up and restock for their trip to Solitas. Once they reached the village Weiss was talking about, they would sit in wait for Umbra. If they didn't catch him soon, there was no telling what he would do when he reached Atlas. None of the members of Team RWBY knew who he was after in Atlas, but what they did know is that it wasn't good.

* * *

By the time I reached the final village, I was exhausted. While I took short breaks every now and then, I couldn't fully stop to rest. If the Grimm didn't get to me, then those Hunters would have. For the first time in a long time, a smile crept onto my face when I finally arrived. Though it only lasted a second, if that. Soon enough, my usual scowl took over. As it was nighttime, no one was outside save for the guards. Trudging along, I was looking for somewhere to stay. Though it would seem the universe had other plans in store for me. Ringing the alarm, the place was under attack. Whether it was bandits or Grimm, I had yet to see. Having dealt with enough crap for one day, I was ready to just get this over with.

Reaching for the sword on my back, I was ready to get this over with. Accepting the fact I would be hailed as a Huntsman, I would just use it to my advantage. That way I could get a discount on both a warm jacket and a ride to Solitas. Rushing towards where the attack was happening, I unsheathed my sword. When I arrived, it was worse than I thought. Storming the village was a large amount of Grimm. Did they follow me? It didn't matter. What mattered was clearing this village and getting out of Sanus.

Charging towards a group of Beowolves I used my semblance to slice them down with ease. Being able to get behind them without much effort trivialized any encounter with them. Spinning to my right, I stopped a Boarbatusk in it's tracks. Rushing at me with it's tusk's it was trying to gore me. Pushing it off me, I swung low. Slicing open it's neck I looked for my next target. Running my way, someone in a cloak yelled at me.

"Get down!" Doing as she said, the women threw one of her weapons. Behind me was a Beowolf, it must have seen that I was distracted by the Boarbatusk. Not stopping to say hi, I moved on. Surrounding some of the guards was a group of Ursa. In three slashes, they were free. I was wrong. My semblance didn't just make killing Beowolves easy, it made killing any Grimm easy.

Running with the guards, I noticed that the cloak figure that saved me wasn't alone. With her were two others. At least, that's what I assumed. Considering all three were wearing the same exact cloak. Together, they were all three fighting a Beringel. It wasn't a small one either. Even though it was just for a few seconds, I was punished for losing focus. Bursting forward, a giant Death Stalker exploded out of a nearby building, killing the guards I was running with. Holding an arm up to shield my face from debris, I slowly backed up.

From the look of the beast in front of me, this was no ordinary Death Stalker. The thing was Ancient no doubt. Even if I was fully rested there was no way I would be able to take on something like that alone. Looking around though, there wasn't really anyone around that _could_ help. Other than the three fighting the Beringel, there wasn't anybody else skilled enough. Gripping my sword tight, I took a deep breath. While I wasn't scared of dying, I didn't like the idea of letting Eliza go free. Before I died, I wanted to see all the members of Team SHDE get what they were owed.

Steeling myself, I rushed forward. Even if I couldn't kill it, all I had to do was distract the Death Stalker until those three were done with their target. Once they killed the Beringel, they would most likely join me. Vanishing behind the Death Stalker, I decided to play with it. Instead of attacking it head on, I'd just wear it out. Or at the very least have it running in circles. Each minute felt like an hour. It's attacks were getting increasingly difficult to avoid. My adrenaline was wearing out and exhaustion was setting in once again.

Not seeing the pincer heading my way, I was smacked to the ground. Hitting the ground hard, I could feel my Aura shatter. Plunging it's stinger after me, all I could do was raise my sword in defense. It took all my strength to hold it off, but it wasn't enough. Slipping through my guard, I was stung. An intense pain ripped through my body. It felt like I was burning from the inside out. The spot I was stung being the worst. All I could do was scream. Everything that happened next was a blur. Someone had severed the Death Stalker's tail and had injected me with something after doing so.

* * *

"Got 'em D! Now finish it!" Standing over Umbra, Alfred had injected him with the Antidote. Bringing his giant sword Aetherius down, Damian severed the giant Death Stalker in two. Still screaming out in pain, Umbra was clutching his arm and arching his back.

"Arghh! I can't take it anymore! Can you _please_ shut him up already!? I can't stand it!" Picking up his other Saber, Alfred sheathed it. Looking over at the complaining lady, he crossed his arms.

"Sorry sis. Don't got anything. If you have any ideas though I'm all ears." Huffing, she pulled the hood that was covering her face down. Sporting a pair of brown bear ears and short hair to match, she looked down at Umbra with her Hazel eyes.

"Just kick 'em in the head. That'll shut him up, I can guarantee you that." Walking over, Damian had a less than pleased look on his face.

"Enough you two. We need to get him somewhere safe." While most of the fighting had died down, there were still some stragglers. Picking Umbra up, Alfred hefted him over his shoulder. Thankfully, he had gone quiet. His faunus ears finally got a break.

"Hey! Over here! This way, come on!" Waving to the group was a girl with pink hair. Not having anywhere to go, she was their best bet. Together, they rushed towards a house. Once inside a women brought the girl into a hug.

"Oh, my sweet Cherry! Please don't scare me like that!" Joining his wife, the father hugged his daughter as well.

"Cherry, please, never do something like that again. You almost gave me a heart attack!" Stepping out from a nearby room, another women came to investigate what was happening.

"What's all this commotion ab- Oh my…" Noticing the body on Alfred's shoulder, the women came rushing over to them. "Quickly, follow me." Alfred and Lexi followed the women, though Damian was stopped by the girl named Cherry.

"Is he going to be alright?" Looking over to her, he told her the truth.

"Nothing's certain. Even though we gave him an Antidote, it's still possible that he dies. It all depends on how much venom was injected into his body." Putting her head down, it was obvious that wasn't the answer the girl was hoping for. "Why do you care? Do you know him?" Shaking her head, she looked up.

"Not personally. No. But awhile back, he saved me and my family. I just thought I could pay him back somehow."Fidgeting with her hands, Cherry walked back to her family. Deciding he was done here, Damian went to go look for his friends. Going through the door he saw the women and his friends go through, he could see Lexi standing in the hall outside a door.

"What took ya huh? Flirt'in with that girl?" Giving Damian a smug look, Lexi pushed herself off the wall. Not amused, Damian didn't bother responding to that. "They're inside this one." Using her thumb to point to the room behind her, Lexie crossed her arms after. Just after saying that, the women and Alfred stepped out of the room.

"Well. Your friends in stable condition, but he's going to need constant supervision for the night just in case. I'll leave that up to Cherry." Smiling, the women looked towards the group of friends. "As for you three, I have favor I need to ask of you." Knowing where this was going, Damian was ready to accept. "If you wouldn't mind, could the three of you go and gather the rest of the injured?" There wasn't any reason to decline her request.

"Of course. Though if we are to do this, we would like a place to stay the night." Nodding her head, the women didn't see anything wrong with that.

"I was going to allow you three to stay anyway. After all, I wouldn't want to separate a group of friends." Walking back towards the living room, she stopped and turned to face them once more. "How rude of me. I can't believe I never introduced myself. My name is Mary, and I run the local clinic. It's nice to meet all of you." And with that, Damian and his friends got to work. Gathering those with more serious injuries, they brought them back to Mary's clinic. Due to limited space, they couldn't just bring anyone.

All night they worked to help the village as best as they could. When daylight hit, Alfred and Lexi had passed out in the living room of Mary's clinic. Still awake, Damian was waiting for his chance to speak with the man who foolishly fought a Death Stalker on his own. Noticing a tired Cherry exiting said persons room, he pushed himself off the wall and walked over to her.

"Is he awake?" Raising her head, Cherry gave a tired smile.

"Yeah. His arm's still pretty sore, but at least he's alive." Nodding, Damian was happy to hear that much. Entering his room, he could see the man was trying to get out of bed.

"If you really want to leave that badly, I would stay in bed if I were you." Looking towards Damian, the man had an angry look on his face. Doing as he was told however, he laid back down. "Allow me to get straight to the point. For awhile now, me and my friends have had our eyes on you." This caused the man to tense up. "Don't worry. We don't have any ill intentions. In fact, we were hoping that you could help us with something." Still tense, Damian hadn't managed to relax him.

"Sorry. Not interested. I've got something I have to do myself." With a hum, Damian propped himself against the side table.

"I see. What about after your… mission? Would that work?" It took awhile, but eventually the man responded.

"That depends. What do you need help with?" That was a fair question. Damian couldn't expect someone to do something without knowing what they were getting into.

"Lets just say, me and my friends have a score to settle with the White Fang. Together, we're hoping to dismantle them. And before you ask, yes. All three of us are faunus." It must have been odd, hearing a faunus talking about taking down the White Fang. But it was true. Thinking on it for awhile, the man finally had his answer.

"Once I finish what I'm doing, why not? It's not like I'll have anything better to do." Standing up, Damian reached out to shake his uninjured arm.

"I'm glad to hear. If you don't mind me asking, what's your name? It would be nice to know who'll I'll be working with in the future. I'm Damian, and the two others are Lexi and Alfred." After shaking hands, Damian backed away and crossed his arms. Debating on whether or not it would be a good idea, the man eventually concluded that it couldn't hurt. If they had been here to kill him, they wouldn't have gone through the effort of saving his life.

"It's Umbra. If everything goes right, I'll be helping your group soon." While Damian hadn't expected things to go so smoothly, he was glad none the less. Having one more person in their group wouldn't change much, but it was a start.

"When you're ready, meet us in Vale. We'll find you." Turning to leave, Damian stopped as he was opening the door to leave. "By the way. I'm glad to see that you made it out of Mt. Glenn in one piece, Umbra." And with that, he was gone.

* * *

Having taken a trip to Vale, Eliza had wanted to visit a certain someone. While it took some convincing, her trip was eventually approved. When she finally arrived, she saw something that she wasn't expecting. Where a tall house once stood, nothing but ashes and debris remained. Standing in silence, her hair waved in the wind. After seeing this, it had become increasingly more difficult for her to deny it anymore. Eliza had to come to terms that the one who had killed her old teammates, was none other then Umbra himself.

Doing her best to look through the rubble, she was trying to see if she could find any remains. Without the proper equipment, there wasn't much she could do. Not having heard from Hector in awhile, she could only assume that he died. If he had lived, he would have called her to tell her what happened. Having seen enough, she boarded the Bullhead. The reason she had come to Vale in the first place was to talk to Hector. Now that that was out of the question, she had no choice but to return to Atlas. Her entire trip was a waste of time. No. She did learn something new, but she wasn't sure if she liked it. It was going to be a long flight back to Atlas, and she had a lot to think about.


	10. Blast From the Past

Sitting in his room was a young faunus boy. His white hair matched his wolf ears. Reading from one of his favorite story books, he was alone. With a sigh, he closed the book and stood up to put it away. He was hoping his father would have been back from work by now, but it looked as though he would be late today. Staring out the window, he was shocked when he heard an explosion. Nearby, a plume of smoke could be seen. Not long after, a second explosion followed. Scared, he ran to get the phone. Soon after he passed the front door, it swung open. The person who had opened it with such force, was none other than his dad.

"Pup! We have to go now, quickly!" Rushing towards his son, the man scooped him up.

"Dad, what's going on?" Scared and confused, the younger faunus didn't know what to think. Thinking on whether or not he should tell his son the truth, the man left his house with his son in his arms.

"Our home is under attack. Unlike last time, it's different. We have to meet up with William. He'll help us get to Atlas, where your sister and mom are. Okay?"With tears in his eyes, the young faunus nodded. He still didn't understand what his father meant, and he didn't want to leave his home behind, but getting to see the rest of his family again was enough to get him through.

Rushing through the streets, people were running in all directions. Some were even using the chaos as an opportunity to loot. Then, out of nowhere, Grimm had flowed into the streets. Before the young faunus could turn away, he witnessed the Grimm rip through the crowds. Tearing through people, it was a bloodbath. Limbs were sent flying, and screams of pure terror rang loud. Too shocked to look away, his father had to cradle him close.

"Don't look pup! Keep your eyes closed!" Holding his son tight, the man kept running. Ducking into a nearby alley, he hoped to avoid the crowds. Weaving in and out of the alleyways he was trying to get to the point William had agreed to meet at. Overhead, Nevermores were raining destruction down onto those below. Making the streets even more dangerous. Those who tried to fight were only met with an unfortunate end. No matter where the man had run, death followed. How this was allowed to happen was a mystery to him. While they had suffered attacks in the past, nothing had ever been this bad.

As he turned a street corner, he could see some Hunters were fighting a large group of Grimm. Soon enough, they were overwhelmed. That had been the second group of Hunters he had seen get killed. Any hope of reclaiming the city had been lost in his mind. If not even Hunters could handle a threat of this size, what hope was there? All he could do was run and make sure he and his son escaped the city safely.

From above, a large explosion knocked the man to the ground. This caused him to drop his son in the process.

"DAMIAN!" Nothing but silence remained.

* * *

Waking with a start, Damian ran a hand through his hair. Once he was done, he lazily put the hood of his cloak back up. Reliving certain events he'd rather forget, he wasn't the happiest person at the moment. Stretching as he stood, Damian surveyed his surroundings. Since Lexi was the only other one nearby he knew Alfred was the one currently on watch. Gently kicking her side to wake her, Damian called out to Alfred to let him know they were awake.

"Ow, dammit, what was that for Damian?" Rolling his eyes, he hadn't kicked her that hard. Only enough to wake her. Landing on his feet, Alfred had jumped out of a nearby tree.

"Now that everyone's up, want me to make breakfast? Can't travel on an empty belly." Alfred didn't need Damian's permission to cook, so it was more of a test to see if their journey was urgent or not.

"You already know the answer Alfred. Go ahead." Rubbing his hands together, the portly man walked over to the bag he carried with him. With his hood now pulled down, his bear ears could now be seen. Much like Lexi's they too were brown. Having a buzz cut, his hair was much shorter than his sisters boyish hairstyle.

"So, Damian. You never told us, did that guy turn down the offer?" Still sitting on the ground, Lexi was propping herself up with her arms.

"No. He accepted. He just has something to do first is all. Once Umbra is done, he'll meet us in Vale." Crossing his arms, Damian leaned on a nearby tree.

"So his name is Umbra huh? Isn't that the name of that one Huntsman's son?" Standing up now, Lexi flipped her hood down.

"Yes. It is." Copying Damian, Lexi also leaned against the same tree.

"And that doesn't bother you?" Sighing, Damian turned his gaze towards the ground.

"No. It doesn't. At least, it doesn't anymore. At first it did, but I've had time to think. Besides. I already saved him once before. At Mt. Glenn of all places." A look of remembrance popped onto Lexi's face.

"So that human you freed was…" Laughing Lexi pushed herself off the tree and playfully punched Damian in the arm. "If that isn't irony, I don't know what is!" Scoffing, Damian started walking towards the campfire with Lexi in tow. After eating, the three of them made their way back to Vale. While they were hoping to recruit more people, chasing after Umbra to bring him on board had taken more time than they wanted. While it was unlikely, they had hoped to recruit at least a few more people before they set their plan in motion.

"I'm tell'in ya Lexi, that would just ruin it!" Like usual, Alfred and Lexi were arguing over… Well…

"No it wouldn't! Spice makes everything better!" Food. They were arguing over food.

"Spice does not make everything better, would you eat spicy bread!?" It was all in good fun. Both of them had low attention spans when they were on long trips.

"Yes! Wouldn't you!?" Hearing something in the distance, Damian stopped.

"Shush you two." It was all it took to get their attention. Signaling them to get low, the three of them made their way to the noise. Just like before, Alfred used his semblance to make them silent. "Both of you, put your hoods back up." Doing as Damian said, their hoods were now up.

Off the beaten path, a group of White Fang could be seen. It looked as though they were using humans as bait to lure in Grimm.

"Those sick bastards… I can't believe we use to buy into their shit." Angry at both the White Fang and herself for believing in them, Lexi held her hand in fist. Her knuckles were turned white.

"Calm yourself Lexi. Anger won't do anyone any good." Relaxing, Lexi let her grip go. "Alfred. I want you to sneak to the other side. Lexi, I want you to sneak behind them. Together, we'll attack from three separate angles. Attack when I do." Giving a double thumbs up, Alfred did as he was told. Going the way she was told, Lexi gave Damian a quick salute.

When he was certain that they had been given enough time to move, Damian made his move. Leaping out from the forest and into the clearing, he had unsheathed his sword, Aetherius, and cut down the White Fang near him. Not long after, Alfred and Lexi took down those near them. All three Ex-White Fang member rushed forward, giving the remaining grunts few options.

Even though Damian's sword was almost as tall as he was, he had no problem keeping up with his friends. Together, the three of them were a force to be reckoned with. In all the chaos, the Grimm that the White Fang had collected were set free. Now, on top of the White Fang, they had Grimm to worry about.

Having no problem dealing with the added threat, it was as if Lexi was a dancer, and the battle was her stage. Dagger in each hand, she used Dusk and Dawn to handle terrorist and Grimm each. While his semblance was mostly for stealth, Alfred made up for that by being an excellent fighter himself. His duel sabers, Oathbreakers, kept anything from getting close. When everything was said and done, the battle ended with the three outcasts at the top. Just as they were about to free the humans however, a shout was heard from behind them.

"If the three of you want to live, you'll put your weapons down and raise your hands up. Right. Now." Turning to see who was talking to them, they were met with a Lieutenant of the White Fang. Behind him was a larger group of White Fang soldiers with more humans in captivity. Spinning a bladed revolver in one hand, he had a second in his other hand trained on Damian. Raising their hands, the three of them didn't have another choice. Right now that is. "Who the fuck do you think you are? Eh?" Looking around, he stopped spinning his revolver and used it to point at all the dead bodies. "Now. I think it's only fair, that the three of you clean this up. And when you're done, you can dig your own graves. Fair. Right?"

Slowly walking up to Damian, he kept his gun raised. Going back to spinning his other revolver, the Lieutenant had a sadistic grin on his face. It was one that Damian wasn't able to forget, as much as he wanted to.

"Liam…" Damian had practically growled. Liam Moore was one of the more sadistic members of the White Fang. When it came to torturing humans, he was especially cruel. Because of this, he was one of Adam's favorites.

"Oh, do we know each other?" Getting up close, Liam flipped Damian's hood down. When he saw who was under the hood, his grin widened into a full on smile. "Well well well. If it isn't Damian! I'm willing to bet that that's Alfred and Lexi with you as well." Making his way over to Lexi, he flipped her hood down as well. "Ahh Lexi. I'm so. So happy to see you again. I bet you missed me as much as I missed you…" It took all of her strength to not lash out at the freak. "When I bring all of you back, I'm going to make certain people _very_ happy. Did you know that there's a bounty on your heads? I'm doing you all a favor really." Stepping back, his smile seemed to grow even more. "Oh wait. No I'm not! Adam's going to let me do whatever I want with you!" Laughing manically, Liam was doubled over holding his gut.

"Sienna would never allow that! She would never let one of our kind be treated that way!" While Lexi looked strong on the outside, she was shaking on the inside. Stopping his laughter, Liam settled back down to his grin. Walking back to Lexi, he holstered one of his revolvers. Grabbing her chin, he forced her to look him in the eyes.

"Sienna would never allow it? Let me tell you something, Lexi. She can't care about something, that she doesn't know about. Once Adam is finished in Vale, that bitch will be dethroned, and Adam will take his rightful place as ruler of the White Fang." Letting her go, he pat her cheek and backed off. Laughing all the while.

Pissed, Damian had heard enough. He wasn't going to let the bastard lay a finger on his friends. Jumping into action, Damian leapt for his weapon. Dodging the small arms fire sent his way, Damian reached his sword. With a spinning attack, he sent Liam flying. His Aura eating the brunt of the attack. Right behind him Alfred and Lexi had reached their weapons as well. Now that all three of them had their weapons, they broke off to attack different targets. While Alfred and Lexi took out the grunts, Damian attacked Liam.

Using one of his bladed revolvers as a knife, Liam kept up the pressure by shooting with the other. Doing his best to dodge the bullets, Damian knew Liam only had five shots before he needed to reload. At least one good thing came out of working with the guy, he knew where he was weak. When he ran out of bullets in his first gun, Liam swapped the roles his weapons played, giving him five more shots. Once he ran out, Damian planned to keep the offensive up to keep him from reloading.

While they were battling, Alfred and Lexi were taking on the large group of White Fang soldiers. There was a mixture of those with guns and those with swords. Targeting those with guns first, they wanted to get rid of those with range first. Wanting to help their friend, Alfred and Lexi were fighting with everything they had. Each minute they wasted with the trash, the more likely it was Damian could be killed.

Back with Damian, Liam had run dry. Not letting him reload, Damian stayed on top of the sadistic Lieutenant. While Damian's weapon was bigger, Liam had no problem deflecting his attacks. After all, he wasn't just a Lieutenant because he hated humans so much. Surprising Damian, the sadist decided to use his semblance to reload his weapons. Blood seeped from covered wounds, loading into his custom revolvers. Now loaded with his own blood, Liam managed to get the better of Damian. After knocking him to the ground, Liam smiled and pulled the hammer on his revolver back, aiming towards his head.

"I'll take _good_ care of them Damian. Don't worry." When he shot, instead of piercing Damian's skull like he wanted, the blood bullet went high. Using one of his sabers to hold Liam's gun up, Alfred held the other towards his neck. Lexi had her Khukuri's poised to pierce his lungs. They had finished off the last of the White Fang present just in time.

"It's over Liam!" Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit everyone present. Liam was no exception. Dropping their weapons, Alfred and Lexi backed off. Dropping to their knees, it was getting harder for them not to vomit.

"Liam, what happened here!" Walking towards the group was another Lieutenant. "What happened to all the Grimm you were…" Seeing the group that had given Liam so much trouble, the second Lieutenant grinned. "So. That's what happened. Huh?" Upon reaching Damian, the faunus knelt down. "It's been awhile. Brother." Sick due to the semblance of the person leaning over him, Damian struggled to speak.

"Spare me the theatrics Stephon. If you're going to kill me. Do it." Putting a hand on his shoulder, Stephon chuckled.

"Dear brother. Why would I ever kill you?" Sneering at him, Damian was getting angry.

"We aren't brothers. We were never truly brothers!" With a sigh, Stephon stood up.

"By blood, no. But because of the hardships we endured together… We are bound by fate you and I." Picking up one of Liam's dropped revolvers, he took a few bullets out of Liam's pouch as well. "The pain we suffered. The cruelty we faced. It was because of them. Humans." Having fully loaded the gun, he pointed it at the humans that were still tied up. Pulling the trigger five times, he executed them. "You may have forgotten that. But I will _never_. Forget. And when you remember. I'll be waiting." Picking up Liam, Stephon carried him off.

Now alone, the humans they had tried to save were now dead. The one's being led by the second group were killed when the fighting began. For awhile, no one said anything. That sick feeling in all their stomach's was still subsiding.

"Damian…" Tears were welling up in Lexi's eyes. "We couldn't…" Doing his best to stand up, Damian used his sword to stand up.

"Lexi. You can't save everyone. Sometimes… Things just happen. If you let the death of everyone you couldn't save eat you up inside, you won't be able to save those that still need saving." Now that Stephon's semblance had worn off, Damian was able to stand. Sheathing his sword he went to help his friends up.

"I guess so." Taking Damian's outstretched hand, she was on her feet now. When she was up, Damian went over to help Alfred. "You heard what that freak said. Right? Adam is planning something, and I don't think Sienna knows. Should we warn her?"

"We can't. The White Fang are hunting us. Who knows what they said we did." Hugging herself, Lexi didn't know what to do. Walking over to Lexi, Alfred attempted to comfort his sister.

"What about the other thing he said. What could Adam possibly be planning in Vale?" While he didn't show it, Alfred was just as shaken as his sister. He hid that fact though, for her sake. Closing his eyes, Damian crossed his arms. Thinking on what Alfred had said.

"Stephon grabbed my shoulder, but since he was using his semblance, I couldn't fully concentrate to use mine. All I know is that it involves Beacon somehow." Standing in silence for awhile longer, Damian eventually opened his eyes and started walking. "We need to move. Once we reach Vale, we can look into it more." Following their leader, their plans had changed. The original plan was to dismantle the White Fang's presence in Vale. After doing enough damage, they were going to go after Adam himself. But now, the defense of Vale itself had taken priority. Before they could act they needed to find out what Adam had planned in the first place. Damian was tempted to return to Umbra and let him know of the situation at hand, but figured it would only be a waste of time. Umbra would find them when he was done with what he was doing. For the time being, the only thing standing between Vale and disaster… Was the three of them.


	11. Full Circle

The venom from the Death Stalker had really done a number on me. That girl taking care of me, Cherry, said that those people in cloaks gave me an antidote. Since my vision had blurred, I didn't know if it was Damian himself or one of the others that helped. Even with the antidote though, the venom kept my Aura from coming back. Now that my arm was healed up, I just wanted to get on the move again. Aura or not, I needed to move before that team of Huntresses caught up to me. As I was trying to get out of bed, the door opened. In stepped a women with brown hair done up in a bun.

"Excuse me young man. But what do you think you're doing?" Damn, she caught me. Walking over to lay me back down was Mary. Cherry had told me about her briefly when I first woke up.

"I appreciate what you've done for me ma'am, but I need to get going now. Even without my Aura, I feel fine." Putting her hands on her hips, she gave me a look. I could see the look of distrust in her blue eyes. Truthfully, I still didn't feel the best. As she ran the clinic, I guess she would have picked up on the little things people do when they're in pain.

"You've only had half a night to rest. After an ordeal like that, you should at least wait until your Aura comes back." There was no telling how long that would take, and I needed to be gone soon. If I wasn't, there was the risk of being sent to prison.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I can't do that. There's… Somewhere I have to be." Whatever it took, I had to get out of here. Even if that meant sneaking out the window.

"What could possibly be so important that you'd put it above your own health?" Crossing her arms, she sighed. "I'll tell you what. If you can give me a good enough reason, I'll consider letting you go." A good enough reason? While my intentions were more then good enough to warrant my leave, I couldn't let her know. Thinking about what to say, I figured I'd just… twist my meaning. But only slightly.

"There's someone in Atlas that… I owe. It's very important to me that I see them… before it's too late." That had to do it. If that didn't work, I don't know what would. For a moment, she didn't say anything. I feared that I didn't play it up enough.

"Very well. But under one condition." Putting her hands back on her hips, she smiled. "You join my family and the Winzer family for lunch." Easy enough. I hadn't eaten anything for about a full day. Give or take. When I went to get up, Mary offered to help me. Declining the offer, I managed to get up by myself. As we walked, my entire body ached. It was that feeling you get with the flu.

When we reached the dinning room, I took a seat. Tearing through the room, two kids were laughing. Circling the table once, they shot off towards another room. Almost getting run over, a women came walking into the room through the doorway the kids ran off through.

"Oh my. That was a close one." Not far behind her was a man and the girl who took care of me, Cherry. Cherry had already told me that her family was the one I saved some time back. Looking my way, the man still had a smile on his face.

"I'm glad to see that you survived. There were multiple times during the night poor Cherry here thought you wouldn't make it through." Giving her father a glare, the girl lightly punched his arm.

"Daaad. I told you not to tell him that." As the mother and her daughter sat down at the table, the father went to go help Mary carry things. If I didn't feel like crap, I would have helped as well. Then again, if I didn't feel like crap, I wouldn't be here.

"Before I forget dear, my name is Beatrice. My husbands name is Nicola. We would have introduced ourselves last time, but…" She was talking about how I shrugged them off and left. "You know, Nicola was quite upset after that. He complained the whole way." Well. That made things awkward. "But after seeing you help out last night, he's changed his opinion about you."

"I didn't have any other choice. It was nothing." Smiling, Beatrice laced her hands together.

"Nonsense. With your Semblance, you easily could have ran. Just as you could have when you saved my family before." Scoffing, I looked away. I didn't like what she was alluding to. All I was doing was getting back at the White Fang for what they did to me at Mt. Glenn. She didn't know anything. Before she could say anything else, Nicola and Mary came walking into the room. Behind them were Mary's children. Mary and Nicola set plates down at everyone's spot at the table. When they seated themselves, we began to eat. For the most part, I didn't really say anything. It was mostly Mary and Beatrice that did the talking. Every once in awhile Mary's children would try to sneak a peak at me. They weren't that good at being subtle.

"So. You must be a Huntsman. Or at the very least, you go to Beacon Academy. Correct? If you do go to Beacon, what grade are you in? You might know my son, he's a third year this year." Another person confusing me with those selfish assholes. Mary wasn't the first, and at this rate, she wouldn't be the last.

"I'm not a Huntsman. I don't go to Beacon either, but I was trained by a Huntsman." Nodding her head, that seamed to answer her question.

"That's a shame. Remnant could use more Hunters like you. You should consider enrolling." What was with everyone's obsession with Huntsmen? In a way, I felt bad for people. They didn't know about a Hunters true motivations. When we were all done eating, Mary and Nicola collected plates.

"You said you were going to Atlas early. If that's the case, why don't you let me get you one of my eldest son's coats? You're going to need it when you get to Solitas." For a moment, I considered turning down her offer. Then I realized that was one less thing I had to pay for. I already wasn't sure if I had enough to cover the cost of the boat ride.

"Thank you. I would appreciate it." Getting up, I went to go collect my gear. It was all waiting for me in the room I had recovered in. Just as I finished gearing up, Mary had walked in. In her arms was a red coat.

"It's one of his older ones, so it should fit you just fine." Mary handed me the coat. Looking at it, she was right. Even if it was slightly bigger, I would make it work. As we walked out to the front entrance, I gave her my thanks yet again. When we reached the front door, she told me one more thing.

"If you're ever in the area, don't be afraid to stop in and say hi. You're always welcome here." If she knew who I really was, I'm sure she'd change her mind. A lot of people knew who my father was, and the crime he and his team had committed. Giving her a wave, I left. Throughout the village, I could see the damage that was done. All around there were still broken buildings. People were doing their best to put things back in order. If this was just any village on the way, I would of ran for it. The only thing that mattered to me right now was getting revenge. Putting my life on the line for the others was the last thing I wanted to do. There was always that chance I could die before reaching Eliza.

Just like I thought, the ferryman offered me a Hunters discount for helping save the village. Good thing too, as I wouldn't have had enough lien otherwise. Paying for my ticket, I boarded the boat. It wasn't my first choice in terms of travel, but I had no other choice. I figured they'd have a system set up with Bullheads to at least travel to the other side, but no luck. It wasn't like going back to Vale to steal one was an option either.

Soon enough, we were off. Not wanting to be inside the boat if anything happened, I chose to stay above deck. In the end it only helped a little. Doing my best to bury those thoughts, I thought about how close to Atlas I was instead. With Mantle being the first step, I had to come up with a way to actually reach Atlas. My Semblance would make getting in easy, but it didn't allow me to fly. So in the end, I would still need a Bullhead to actually reach the upper city. All the way to Solitas I thought about how I was going to reach Atlas. Before deciding to go to bed, I looked over the ocean. Reflecting off the waters surface, the shattered moon was out. Looking up, I could see the stars were right behind it, just like always. I just sat there for awhile, staring out at the moon and stars.

* * *

Flying over a deserted village, the same Bullhead landed nearby. Walking off of said Bullhead was Team RWBY. They had finally arrived at their destination. All of them were ready to finally catch Umbra and bring him in.

"You sure he's gonna pass through here Ice Queen?" Not in the mood, Weiss glared at Yang.

"I told you to stop calling me that! And yes, I'm certain. Unless he wants to take the long way around, he'll come through this way." Crossing her arms, Weiss spoke in a confident tone.

"Alright, if you say so. Ice Queen." Not bothering to respond, Weiss just huffed.

"We should set up camp somewhere. Preferably somewhere we can stay warm and keep an eye out." Blake wanted to get out of the cold as soon as possible. Not only that, but she wanted to avoid having to deal with a disgruntled Weiss. Walking through the village, Team RWBY finally settled on setting up camp in a mostly untouched building. From the looks of it, it was someones home at one point. After setting up their camp, all that was left was to sit, wait and watch.

"Since I'm the leader, I'll volunteer for first watch." Ruby, wanting to prove her worth as leader, decided that she'd take first watch.

"Alright Ruby, just make sure to let us know when he shows up. Don't try and take him on yourself." Nodding her head, Ruby went outside. Climbing to the rooftops, she found a place where she could see a majority of the village. The real reason Ruby had decided to take first watch was actually because she wanted to think. Each person they asked about Umbra, the more confused she got. It started with him saving that village from the bandits. Then, he saved a child. Finally, he saved another village from a Grimm attack. But still, what he had said to her the first time they fought…

" _If you're smart, you'll stop chasing me. Next time I won't let you walk away._ " Each time she thought back to it, she got chills.

At the same time, something just didn't make any sense to Ruby. Why would a murderer go out of his way to save people? When she thought of the type of person a killer was, she thought of someone who was selfish and uncaring. Hopefully, this time alone would allow her to think things over. Bringing out Crescent Rose, she shifted it into it's sniper form. Looking through the scope, she scanned her surroundings. Ruby and her entire team were in for a long wait.

* * *

Trudging along, I felt even worse. The aching feeling was still there, and it was made worse by the cold. I was almost tempted to go back to the village I had blown through, but I had to make up for lost time. The ever present threat of the Huntresses was on my mind. Then again, I hadn't seen them since, what was her name? Ruby? Had taken that fall. Maybe they had taken the hint. Either way, I wasn't willing to take any risks.

In the distance, I could see the next village. Once there, I could rest if only for awhile. When I got close enough, I knew something was wrong. No one was outside. Not even a single guard. If I could find a house that was still intact, I could still rest for a short time. Slowly making my way down the empty street, I was looking for somewhere to stay. Most buildings had giant holes in them, while others were missing doors and windows.

Spotting a shadow move in a nearby alley way, I went for the sword on my back. Gripping my weapon tightly, I was as ready as I could be for a fight. With Grimm, or otherwise. Making my way towards the building behind me, I was forced to leap forward. There was a loud bang and the wall behind me lost a chunk. Without my Aura, a weapon like that would kill me for sure. Rushing to cover, the snow around me exploded. From my right, I heard someone yell out.

"Hey jerk, remember me!?" Punching me hard enough to send me flying, I would be surprised if I didn't come out of this without a minor concussion at the very least. Hitting the wall, my sword fell out of my hand. Coughing and gasping for air, I used the wall next to me to help me up. Taking a quick look around, I saw that I was surrounded. Walking towards me was the blonde brawler, she had a smug look on her face. Blocking the other exits were the black haired and white haired Huntresses. On the rooftops, the one they called Ruby had a sniper trained on me.

"It's over. Now, you're gonna come with us back to Beacon an-" Literally backed into a corner, my mind was racing. I didn't see anyway out. There was only one thing I could do, but it was risky. Something was better then nothing however, so I did something crazy. Reaching into my jacket, I pulled out Solar Eclipse. Putting the blade to my neck, my heart rate spiked.

"Back off! I'll do it!" Halting their advance, the three Huntresses slightly lowered their weapons. "Don't test me! You want me alive, right? Well I won't let that happen!" Taking quick glances around me, I was looking for a way out. Anything. Without my Semblance, I really didn't have many options. What I realized too late however, was that the sniper was missing. Shit. Before I could even react, I felt a weight slam against me, knocking Solar Eclipse out of my hand and to the ground. "Get off me dammit!"

"Quick, help me tie him up!" That little brat! In only a few seconds, the rest of the team was on me. Arms tied, I was defeated. They had captured me. Dammit. Sitting on the ground with my head down, a mixture of emotions ran through me. Anger and disappointment to be exact. I was angry at them, and disappointed in myself. The one with black hair helped me up. The red one, Ruby, took the only weapon I had left on me.

"Watch it. You break that sword, I'll break your hands." Her already pale skin seemed to pale even more after I said that. The blonde one gave me an angry look.

"I wouldn't say things like that, considering you're the one that got their butt kicked." Scowling at the blonde, I knew she was right. That didn't change the fact that I treasured that sword more than my own life. The Tanto as well.

Before long, a Bullhead showed up. Forcing me to lead the way, we all boarded. For most of the flight it was silent. I guess being stuck in an enclosed space with a known killer would put you on edge. Every now and then, one of them would say something. I think Ruby had tried to talk to me a few times, but I just ignored her. I wasn't exactly in the talking mood at the moment. The biggest thing on my mind at the moment was how all that progress I had made was just gone. Everything that I had been through was for nothing. It was all just a big waste of time.

I couldn't be certain, but during the flight I might have fallen asleep. Not that it mattered. Nothing mattered until I was able to break out of whatever cell they would throw me in. After we landed and got out, I could see a blonde women with stern green eyes greet us. Well. The team that had captured me. Not me of course. The blonde women taking the lead, the five of us followed her through the halls of Beacon Academy. It wasn't a good feeling. Reaching an elevator, we all climbed to the top floor.

Stepping out, I could see a man with gray hair sipping from a mug. Ozpin. The Headmaster of Beacon Academy. What could he possibly want with me?

"Ah, Team RWBY, I'm glad to see that you've finally completed your mission." Team RWBY huh? Not to mention, I wasn't even being hunted by fully fledged Hunters. All this time, I thought there was a bounty on my head. "As for you Mr. Hart. I haven't seen your father in quite sometime. How is he?" Sneering, I didn't bother to answer his question. "Miss Goodwitch, would you kindly untie our guest here? As for you Team RWBY, please leave his weapons on my desk."

"But Oz-" Before she could say anymore, Ozpin cut her off.

"It's quite alright Miss Goodwitch, our guest doesn't look like he's capable of fighting his way out right now." The bastard was right. My body hurt all over, and I had a pounding headache. Doing as they were told, Goodwitch untied me and the members of Team RWBY left my weapons on his desk. It took me awhile, but I could see what the bastard was doing. He was taunting me. He knew I wasn't in the greatest shape, so by leaving my weapons where I could easily grab them and my hands untied… "Team RWBY, you may take your leave now. I'll take the rest from here."

After they left, I was alone with the Headmaster of Beacon and his assistant. I didn't know which was worse. Being with the person who ordered my capture, or the one's who brought me in.

"Please. Take a seat Mr. Hart." I hated the fact that he used my fathers name to refer to me.

"Just call me Umbra." Taking a seat like he told me to, I crossed my arms and averted my gaze from him.

"As you wish, Umbra. Now. You're probably wondering why you're here." I didn't have time for his crap.

"Just cut to the chase old man. If you've got a speech planned, just forget about it. I'm not in the mood." Putting his mug down, he put his hands together on the desk in front of him.

"You just want me to get to the point? Very well. I want you to attend my school." If it wasn't for the massive headache, I would have laughed.

"You're joking. Right? This is just some stupid prank?" I expected him to smile. To smirk. Laugh. Something. But no, he kept a straight face.

"No. My offer is a serious one." Offer. I scoffed at that. This wasn't an offer.

"Sorry, but no thanks. I have something more important I need to be doing." Adjusting his glasses, he leaned back in his chair.

"Is that so? What if I told you that I had the power to make the police not suspect you anymore?" This made me fully pay attention to him now. He was talking about Danial, Mark and my mother. I won't lie. For a second, I thought about it.

"Still no. With my Semblance, evading the police is way too easy. In fact, once I get my Aura back, escaping this place will be just as easy." It wasn't a lie. During the night, escaping some stupid school would be a piece of cake.

"What I'm offering you Umbra is better then what will happen to you if you go to prison. Because of the risk your Semblance comes with, they would keep you in maximum security. Here, you would be allowed much more freedom." Dammit. Just as I thought I had him backed into a corner, he turned it around. One murder was enough to put me away for at least 25 years. That was for one person however. For three, I would probably be put away for life. Not to mention, two of them were Hunters. That was just as bad if not worse than killing a cop. If I accepted his offer though, I would only be stuck here for a few years. With a sigh, I made up my mind.

"Fine. I accept your… _Offer_." Standing up, Ozpin offered his hand out to mine. I didn't shake it. Standing up myself, I uncrossed my arms and pocketed my hands.

"You made the right decision Umbra. I'm glad to have you as a student." I doubt that. For whatever reason, he wanted me here. It was odd for sure, but there was no way for me to find out why.

"I don't do teams. So don't even think about putting me on one." Taking his hand back, he adjusted his glasses once more.

"That's alright. But at the very least, I will assign a team to watch over you. To follow you to each of your classes." Simply put, he was going to have them spy on me. Make sure I was playing by the rules. "Miss. Goodwitch here will lead you to your room. I'll have your weapons sent to a locker as well. Before tomorrow, you will have the locker number, a scroll and a uniform." Walking over to Goodwitch, I was ready to go. "Oh, and Umbra. One last thing. If you _do_ sneak out, I won't be sending a team of students to retrieve you. The person I send after you will have you back in no time." Whatever. Team RWBY caught me at a bad time. Whoever he threatened to hunt me down wouldn't get the same chance.

Following Goodwitch, she took me to my room. Since I didn't have a scroll yet, she opened the door for me. Giving me a glare, she obviously was just as happy with Ozpin's decision as I was.

"While Ozpin may trust you, I do not. As long as you are here, you _will_ follow the rules. I will be holding you to a higher standard then every student here. If it were up to me, you would be in prison right now." I knew for a fact she was going to be my least favorite teacher. Stepping into my new room, I didn't have the energy to argue right now. Hearing the door close behind me, I went straight for the bed. Because of how drained I was, getting to sleep would be no problem. Even with my headache.

Damn that stupid Death Stalker. If it hadn't have stung me, I would have been able to get away from Team RWBY no problem. No, I was stuck in some crappy school with a bunch of people who hated my guts. Screw what Ozpin said. His scare tactics wouldn't work on me. Somehow, I would find a way out of here. The most amount of time I was willing to be stuck here was a year. It shouldn't take me that long to find out where his stupid camera's were placed. For the time being, I'd play by his rules. But before long, I would be on my journey again. Just wait Eliza, in time, I will pay you what you're owed.

* * *

"So. He was captured. Was he?" Pacing the room she was in, the women in red wasn't all that happy. "He's at Beacon? Students took him down? Are you still sure that…" Stopping, she looked out the window overlooking the city. "I see. Very well, I shall return to Vale then. Once we infiltrate Beacon, I'll try to make contact with him there." Ending her conversation, the women was angry. Her trip to Atlas was for nothing. Now, she would have to fly all the way back to Vale. Either way, she would see her ambition through to the end.


	12. First Day

Just as Ozpin had said, a uniform, scroll and my locker number was delivered to me before long. I wasn't happy about being woken, but I was glad to at least have access to my weapons again. The scroll I was given was mostly likely chipped. At all times, Ozpin would know where I was. So what was even the point of having a team of Hunters following me around? Finally was the uniform. Putting it on, I chose not to wear the tie. I also chose to not tuck the shirt and left the blazer open. For what ever reason Ozpin wanted me here. He could deal with it. And if that Goodwitch lady had a problem with it, oh well. She could take it up with Ozpin if she had a problem with it. It wasn't like we were already the best of friends…

Hearing a knock at my door, I went over to open it up. The team that was sent to watch over me must have arrived. When I opened the door, I was greeted by Goodwitch herself. Behind her however, was none other then Team RWBY. Son of a… Scowling, I started to close the door. Before I could, Goodwitch propped the door open with her hand. As she looked me over, I could tell she wasn't happy. It was the first day, and I was technically already breaking a rule. The _most sacred_ of them all.

"Mr. Hart, I would like to introduce you to the team that will be assisting you during your time at Beacon." Like I cared who they were. "Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long. If you have any questions, Team RWBY will do their best to answer them." Crossing my arms, I huffed in annoyance. That asshole knew exactly what he was doing. My hatred towards him only grew bigger. "One more thing Mr. Hart. Fix your uniform." And with that, she was gone. Standing there, neither side really said anything. I was tempted to try and close my door again.

"Soooo. Are you gonna fix your uniform?" Yang was the first one to say something. Making sure that I had my scroll in my pocket, I walked out of my room and closed the door behind me. "I'll take that as a no." Glad we were on the same page for the time being. Other then that, no one really did anything. Annoyed, I pocketed my hands.

"Well? Is someone going to lead the way?" As if in saying that I jump started everyone's brains, they started walking. Letting them lead the way, I followed. Walking down the halls of Beacon, people kept giving Team RWBY looks of what looked like sympathy. Meanwhile, they gave me looks of hatred. Every once in awhile there would be a scared person that would take a wide berth to avoid me. Honestly, it wasn't any different than Pharos. After what I went through, I got over people hating me along time ago. I just didn't care what others thought of me anymore.

Slowly overtime, Ruby had started talking more. Asking me questions about where I was from, where I learned how to fight and if I made my own weapons. With each question I got more and more annoyed. She could just not shut up. Surprisingly, one of her teammates came to my rescue.

"If I were you Ruby, I wouldn't talk to scum like him." In a way, Weiss was right. It felt… weird. Agreeing with someone on an opinion such as that. Especially considering she was a Huntress.

" _Weiss!_ That's rude, don't say things like that!" And for whatever reason, Ruby had decided to take the side I should have been on. So that made it two against one.

"Your friends right. Not to mention, trying to talk to me is a waste of your time. We aren't friends. Just because you beat me _once_ , while I had no Aura mind you, doesn't automatically make us friends." Gasping, Ruby put her hands up to her mouth. Oh great. I probably shouldn't have said that…

"You didn't have any Aura!?" Sighing, I didn't want her to draw the entire schools attention with that loud mouth of hers.

"Yeah. Because of… an… accident that I won't get into. My Aura was shattered and it was taking longer then usual to come back." I could see Yang wince when I said that. She must have remembered when she sent me flying into that building. If she apologized though, I wasn't going to be happy.

"That's awful! I could have killed you on accident! Then I'd be a murderer!" Scoffing, I looked her in the eyes.

"So? It's not like I'm a good person. You know what? Forget it, just drop it okay? I'm done talking." After that, she tried to get more out of me. I was serious though, no matter what she said or asked, I didn't bother responding. Finally reaching our first class, I chose to sit in a corner by myself. They never said anything about having to sit next to them. Thankfully, due to my reputation people chose not to sit by me. This gave me an entire corner to myself. The class came and went, there wasn't anything particularly interesting about it.

One of the next classes however, made me want to rip my ears off. It was a more heavyset professor, gray hair and mustache to match. I could be wrong because I was only half listening, but I think his name was something Port. Anyway, his class was the absolute worst. He embodied the number one thing I despised about Huntsmen. Their stupid egos. All class, the asshole would remember something stupid about his past. Then, he'd go on this damn rant about why he was so great and the countless number of Grimm he's killed. Screw him and screw his stupid exploits.

Then, with a class in between, we reached history. This professor, oh. Sorry, _Doctor_. Looked like he was on Dust. Lightning Dust to be specific. The way he bolted around the room and lectured at insane speeds made him look like an addict. It was a good thing I already knew most of what he went over, because there was no way I'd be able to keep up otherwise. The end of his class couldn't come soon enough.

After a few more classes, there was finally a break. Lunch time. Following Team RWBY into the cafeteria, I stopped in my tracks. It was packed. My chest tightened up and I felt my breathing hitch. Wanting to tell me something, Ruby looked back to see the state I was in.

"Umbra, are you okay?" This caused the other members of Team RWBY to look back. Pulling myself together as best as I could, I started walking forward. Even though there was no way they could use my own fear against me, I wasn't going to let them know. In fact, the less they knew about me, the better.

"Yeah." My response was quick and short. It was a good thing my hands were in my pockets as they were shaking right now. As we walked, I could feel the stares of all the students pointed towards me. I knew that the laughter I heard wasn't directed at me, but I couldn't help but feel as though it was. Memories from Phaors. That's all it was. Getting our food, we sat down at some table. Because of me, people got up to sit somewhere else, or just slid down to the far end. Not only was I glad about it, but I was used to it. Ruby didn't look too happy, but I couldn't care less what she felt.

While I was eating, I tried to come up with an escape plan. No matter what I chose to do, my Semblance would play the most important part. Before I could even put any plan into action, I would need to ditch the stupid scroll that bastard Ozpin had given me. With whatever he planted in it, it would just lead whoever he sent next right to me. Another thing I still had to do was find out where most of the cameras were. For the most part I just needed to know where the ones in my path would be. That, or as long as I was stuck here, I could just train my Semblance. After how much I had used it, that itchy feeling was starting to slowly go away. Continued use still caused pain, but maybe that would go away with time as well. Deciding that I could even eat in peace, Ruby broke me out of my thoughts. Couldn't I get a moment of peace?

"So uh, Umbra. I know that you don't really like to answer my questions, but this one is important." An important question huh? Was it just as important as the last few hundred or so? "Back in Solitas. After we had you cornered. Were you really gonna… You know…" Kill myself? Oh. I was going to have some fun with this.

"Let's see. I was cornered. Outnumbered. And at the time, I thought I was being brought back to Vale to be put to death for the murder of a Huntress. What do you think? Would I rather be taken out by a firing squad, or end it with my own hands?" Seeing her horrified face, it took all I had not to laugh. "No. I wasn't. Before I can die, there's something I have to do."

"You jerk! Why would you say something like that!?" Simple. I don't like you. Or anyone on your team for that matter.

"Consider it a lesson. You can't trust anything I say. I'm nothing but a dirty criminal after all." Rolling her eyes, Weiss huffed.

"See Ruby? I told you. At the very least, he knows his station." Note to self. Hunters don't understand sarcasm. Well, maybe it was just a Schnee thing. For the rest of lunch, no one tried to speak to me again. We finished up, took our trays back and headed off to the next class. Eventually, after a few more classes, we got to a class that actually had my attention for once.

Combat class. Though of course, my _favorite_ teacher was the one running the thing. Miss. Goodwitch. After sitting down, I didn't bother listening to her speak. All she would be talking about is the stupid rules. Needless to say, killing was against them. So I either needed to reduce my opponents Aura to a certain level or shatter it. Which ever one it was, I'd find out when the first match started.

Any chance of getting to see someone else fight first however, was quickly thrown out the window. Calling me down first, I knew it was because she didn't like me. With a sigh, I stood up and followed the other guy who got called down to the lockers. Pulling a piece of paper out of my pocket, I looked for my locker. Reaching the number written on the paper, I put the code in. Inside, I could see all my weapons. I just needed one though, as much as I used Solar Eclipse, it was more because I was forced to use it. Grabbing my broadsword, I went back out to the arena.

Putting my sword over my shoulder, I pocketed my free hand and waited for my opponent. When he did walk out, I could see he was wearing some sort of armor and wielded some sort of spiked mace. If he was slow, this match was already decided. Walking up to his spot in the arena, he had a cocky grin on his face. Soon enough, that grin was going to be wiped from his face. Miss. Goodwitch explained the rules one more time, then let us fight.

Getting into my stance, I inched towards him. The first thing I needed to do was determine his speed. After that, I had to see how he fought. Getting close enough, I let him have the first swing. Bringing his mace down towards me, he wasn't as slow as I had thought, but he was still slow enough. Dodging to my left, I used the momentum to slash him along the way. Delivering a slash to his back as well, he stumbled forward. Bringing his mace around in retaliation, I merely ducked the lazy swing and lunged forward, slicing him along the way. The entire fight played out like that. Me waiting for him to throw a slow attack and then acting after he did so. Idiot never caught on.

In the end, the victory went to me. The cocky asshole never got a hit off on me. Throwing my sword onto my shoulder, I walked off to put it away. When everything was said and done, I went back to my seat. Bored as ever. That fight did manage to piss me off though. It made me wonder how Team RWBY had taken me on so easily during our first fight. Sure, there were four of them, but I had no problems against that guy. So what made them so much better? Taking a quick glance towards them, it only angered me more. Scoffing, I crossed my arms and leaned back into my seat. It didn't matter. The bastard was probably underestimating me and wasn't giving it his all. That, or I angered him enough to make him throw out strategy.

A few more fights went on but I didn't pay too much attention to the later ones. They all seemed so slow and boring. One of them was between some blonde guy with a shield and a guy with green hair with a staff. They ended up running out of time… I didn't even know that could happen… Sadly, even this class managed to end up disappointing me. When we were dismissed, I stood up and slowly made my way over to Team RWBY. Much to the annoyance of Weiss. If I was lucky, maybe I could anger her to the point that she attacked me? That way, I'd get assigned to a new team. Literally any team would be better than this one. Even if everyone else here hated or feared me, at least they wouldn't try and talk to me. Following Team RWBY, we were done with classes for the day. Finally, I would be able to get rid of them. At least for the night.

"Ya know Umbra, you're actually better then I thought." I was going to take that as an insult from Yang.

"What did you expect? Just like everyone else here, you should know who my parents were." Considering they both went to this school, it would be hard to attend it and not know who they were. This caused them to go quiet f-

"Is it true though? What everyone says." And I stand corrected. It was like Ruby thrived on annoying me with her stupid questions.

"Yes. It is. That whole team was full of lowlifes. Like me. The only person who didn't accept the bribe was my mother." From the very beginning, I accepted that what I was doing was wrong.

"If that's the case, then why di-" I cut her off before she could say anymore.

"Enough. I told you what you wanted to know, so no more questions." Not liking that answer she kept pushing.

"I just want to know wh-" If I was stuck with these people all year, I really would end up in prison.

"Just shut it already! I don't have to justify my actions to you! If you really want to know, just make something up! I'm done for today." Storming off, I had had enough. She was trying to bring up why I killed my mother. Whatever reason she wanted to believe I did it, I'd let her. I knew why I did it, and that's all that matters. No one would ever understand, they'd just judge me for what I did. Reaching my room, I made sure to slam the door behind me. Looking out the window, it was still very much light out. Now, it felt like I was trapped in a cell. With nothing to do in the room I was given, the only option I had was to change out of my uniform and explore. Ozpin said nothing about being stuck with them after classes, so I would be free from _them_ at least. Either way, I'd have that stupid scroll on me. That and he could watch me on his damn cameras. It was only the first day, but I already hated it here.


	13. Surviving Beacon

What would I rather be doing right now? I'd rather try to tame a Beowolf. I'd rather fist fight a group of armed bandits. I would rather get stung by a Death Stalker again, then be forced to listen to the hyperactive leader of Team RWBY spout off anymore questions. With each word that came out of her lips, I could feel my sanity slipping. Slamming my head down onto the table, I threw my hands on top of my head. It was lunch, but we had finished and now we were just waiting for the bell. Of course, Ruby figured that now was the perfect time to pelt me with stupid questions.

"Hey, Rubes, why don't you cool it a little?" If I didn't hate her so much, I could have hugged Yang. So instead, I just wouldn't rub it in her face when we next fought and I won.

Stopping her relentless onslaught, Ruby left me alone. Eventually, we the bell rang and we were off to our classes. Just like every time, I chose to sit in my isolated corner, away from all the assholes. Classes went on, and they were just as boring as always. By the time we reached combat class, I was ready to fall asleep. What happened next however, caught my attention. Some girl with red hair managed to take out a full team all by herself. One of them I recognized as the guy I fought. The fight woke me up, sure. But I bet I could still take her out one on one. Well. As long as it was dark that is. No one can match me in the shadows. After their fight, the bell rang and like always I slowly made my way over to Team RWBY to annoy Weiss. Miss. Goodwitch made a quick announcement as students were getting up to leave.

"Remember students, tomorrow is our trip to the Forever Falls. Make sure that you are prepared." Upon hearing that, I smiled to myself. Things were starting to look up. That smile quickly disappeared once I reached Team RWBY.

"Umbra! I can't believe I've forgotten! You gotta meet Team JNPR, come on!" Before I could even say anything, the little reaper grabbed my arm and bolted. Using her Semblance we moved so fast I thought she'd rip my arm out of its socket. Coming to a stop, I almost lost my balance and hit the floor. I wanted to hurl.

"You are never doing that again. Got it?" Ruby looked away from me sheepishly while scratching her cheek.

"Heh heh, sorry. I'll make sure to warn you next time." It's almost as if she didn't hear a word I just said… "Anyway, meet Team JNPR! This is their leader, Jaune…" She pointed at some blond guy who looked like he was about to piss himself. He was the one who ran out of time during his match. "This is Nora…" Next, she pointed at some girl with orange hair. She had a wide grin on her face. It gave me the creeps. "Pyrrha was the one fighting, so she'll be up in a minute. And finally, this is Ren!" The final member of their team was some guy with black hair and a pink strip in it. On his face was the look of indifference. So out of all of them, the most normal looking. Walking up behind her team, Pyrrha had arrived. "Ah, Pyrrha! You're just in time." Great. Even more people to annoy me.

"I'm sure you don't have to introduce him to Pyrrha, Ruby. Everyone knows who she is." Should I have known her? Did she go to Phaors or something? If so, how did Weiss know I went to Pharos?

"Sorry, that name doesn't ring any bells." Weiss gave me a look of disbelief while it looked like Pyrrha… Smiled? "What? I don't care for celebrities, especially if they're a Hunter…" To me, worshiping a Hunter was like worshiping a plumber for fixing your toilet. There was no difference to me. "Anyway, this is great and all Ruby… But what makes you think I want to meet your friends?" Ruby's face fell when she heard me say that. "Also, what makes you think they want to meet me? Look at Jaune. He looks like he's about to piss his pants in fear." This caused the blond's face to turn red. With just a few words, I managed to bring the mood down. Putting my hands into my pockets, I walked off.

"Umbra wait, where are you going?" Where ever I wanted to go Ruby. Classes were done for the day, I was free.

"Anywhere that isn't here. Now that classes are done, I can finally get away from all of you." Since I was already leaving, my back was turned to all of them. So I didn't get the satisfaction of seeing they're upset reactions.

Walking down the halls of Beacon, I still didn't know where everything was. I knew where my classes, the lunch room and my own room were, but that was about it. Eventually I stumbled onto the library. It had been a long time since I was last able to sit down and read, so I figured I'd stop in. The library was pretty empty, but it was also a big room. Wandering through the different genres, I finally settled on mystery. Thumbing through the different books, I finally decided to just pick at random. Anything would do really. Taking my book over to an empty area of the library, I sat down and sighed. After so long, I had forgotten what it was like to actually sit down and not worry about anything. Being on the run for so long made sure of that. As much as I liked it, I knew it wouldn't last. Come tomorrow, I'd be on the run again.

That trip that Miss. Goodwitch had mentioned, I planned on running that day. Everyone would be too preoccupied with what they were supposed to be doing to notice I was gone. By then, I'd already be long gone. It was the perfect moment.

Opening my book, I only got through a few pages before I noticed something odd. Through the gaps in the shelves, I noticed that someone was watching me. How did I know that? They were slowly getting closer. They would only move when I was reading my book, so I could only catch glimpses of them when they moved. It was annoying to say the least. If it was someone trying to kill me, I was kind of screwed. The library was well lit, and I didn't have my weapons to defend myself with. Just as I was about to get up to leave though, the 'assassin' showed themselves. It was just Blake. Why she was sneaking around like an idiot, I didn't have a clue.

"What are you doing?" I knew she heard my question, but she didn't say anything. Turning my attention back to my book, I started reading again. She just stood there. And stared. I hated when she did that. Out of all the people I've ever met, she was quite honestly the most unnerving. "Instead of just standing there, you might as well take a seat. If you don't have anything to say, then you can just leave." The only reason I was giving her a chance to talk to me was because she hardly, if ever, spoke. Grabbing an empty seat at the table, Blake sat down across from me.

"You made Ruby upset." So that's what she came to say huh?

"And why exactly, should I care?" I was interested to see what she came up with. Putting my book down, I put my hands on my head and leaned back into the chair.

"Well. Yang isn't too happy for one." Putting a hand to my cheek, every now and then a phantom pain would ignite where she hit me. Raising my hand to my head once more, I found it difficult to make eye contact with Blake. She was just too stoic. Almost as if she was… a robot… Of course. Why didn't I think of it sooner? "Do you want to know something about Ruby?" And just like that, I went back to being angry.

"Not especially. The less I know about all of you, the better." Putting my hands back down, I went back to the book in front of me. Ignoring me, Blake went on. What was with these people? Seriously.

"She doesn't believe you killed those people. That you're actually a good person." If was drinking something, I would have spit it all over. I almost laughed, but remembered we were in a library.

"Really now? Well you can tell her she's wrong. Whatever she's heard about me, it's true. I'm a cold-hearted killer that only thinks of himself." Unflinching, Blake kept staring at me. Could she at least scowl? I would settle for a frown.

"If that's true. Then why did you help all those people along the way? When we were hunting you, people along the way talked about the good things you did." Let me guess. The two villages?

"I had no choice. If I wanted to be able to sleep, I had to remove the bandits. As for the other one, if I wanted to reach Solitas, I had to clear out the Grimm." Maybe letting people think whatever they wanted about me was a bad idea after all…

"And the child? What did you get out of that?" What? How did she… "He told us his grandparents say thank you by the way." That snot nosed little… Putting the book back on the table, I broke eye contact with Blake. Finding something interesting off to my left, I looked over there instead.

"There was a village on the way. He would have had to follow me anyways." Taking a quick glance her way, I was annoyed that even that didn't affect her. Come on, shouldn't she be frustrated by now or something? Standing up, I stretched. "Do me a favor and tell Ruby the truth, that I'm not a good person. It's not healthy to live in a fantasy world where everyone who does just one thing good makes them a good person." My father was the prime example of that. I used to hail him as some amazing savior. Look how that turned out… Leaving the brick wall that was Blake behind, I made my way back to my room. Before tomorrow, I wanted to be ready. It was going to be risky, but the payoff of escaping was worth it.

* * *

Sitting at her desk, Eliza was working on more papers. They just never seemed to stop. After hearing a knock at her door, she peeked up from her work to see that it was General Ironwood. Stopping what she was doing, she stood to attention.

"General Ironwood, Sir." With his hands behind his back, Ironwood walked into the room. Holding the door open for him was one of the soldiers in his escort.

"At ease Captain." Relaxing her stance, Eliza kept her hands at her side.

"Do you need something sir?" The General walked up to her desk.

"Yes, actually. Captain Dubos, I have a very important mission for you." Perking up at the mention of special mission, Eliza listened carefully. "As you know, the Vytal Festival is almost upon us." Eliza gave a quick nod of her head. "This year, it's being held at Beacon Academy. Due to… certain circumstances, I've decided to raise the security." The only reason for the raise in security that Eliza could think of was all the Dust robberies in Vale. "I'm sending you on one of the ships to help maintain peace. However, you will not be allowed to leave the ship you are stationed on unless you are needed. Understood?"

"Yes sir." It was an odd request, but if this mission was as important as he said, she would take it.

"The reason for this, is because Ozpin has decided to take Umbra Hart on as a student at his Academy. While I still have my reservations on this, it's not the biggest of my worries. But. If he truly is the one behind the deaths of the rest of Team SHDE, there's no telling what he would do if he were to see you." So that was his reasoning. It bothered her that she wouldn't be able to speak to Umbra, but orders were orders. Either way, she didn't want to risk Umbra causing a scene at such an important event.

"I understand sir. I will stay aboard the ship that I'm stationed." Smiling, General Ironwood nodded his head. As he left, Eliza got back to her papers. It was difficult for her to concentrate however, as her thoughts kept wandering to Umbra. Hopefully, if he was in Beacon, that meant he was getting help.

* * *

Before the sun was fully up, I was wide awake. I didn't even wait for Team RWBY, I went to Miss. Goodwitch's class to get ready for our trip. All morning I couldn't stop smiling. Judging by everyone's reaction, they thought I was about to attack someone. Everyone I crossed paths with on my way to Miss. Goodwitch's class went out of their way to avoid me. When I finally reached Miss. Goodwitch's room, I went down to gather my things. Making sure to take all my weapons, I wouldn't be able to come back later to retrieve them.

"Mr. Hart? Where is Team RWBY?" The way she said it made it sound like she thought I had killed them. If only… Miss. Goodwitch was probably just surprised to see me so early. Alone at that.

"I don't know Miss. Goodwitch. Probably still sleeping. Should I message them on my scroll to find out?" The woman had a weird look on her face. It was to be expected, considering she's never seen me in such a good mood before.

"I don't see why not… They'll probably be worried if they don't find you in your room." She was right. I hadn't even thought of that. Pulling out my scroll, I messaged the leader of Team RWBY. Telling her I was already in the classroom waiting.

Soon, other students started piling into the room. When Team RWBY saw me in my usual corner, it looked like they were relieved. Guess they didn't trust me. I didn't blame them. When everyone had arrived, Miss. Goodwitch let us know what we were doing in Forever Fall. All it was was just some stupid trip to collect tree sap. What a waste of time. Sure, Hunter's will go out and collect some stupid _sap_ , but not to save people. What a joke.

"Mr. Hart, remember to stay close to Team RWBY." As we were leaving, Miss. Goodwitch made sure to remind me of my 'guides'. Not bothering to look back, I just gave her a thumbs up in acknowledgment. It worked well enough. Reaching the Bullheads that would take us to our destination, people were hesitant to board the Bullhead I boarded. Those who did just gave me looks.

It wasn't too long of a flight, and soon enough, we touched down. Students poured out of the Bullheads and onto the red forest. With how many people were around, I was getting a little nervous. There were just a few too many people around in my opinion. We were split into groups and set off into the forest. I saw Jaune get dragged off by that kid with the mace. One of the members of Team RWBY told me his name was Cardin. Apparently he wasn't the nicest person. Though that just meant he was a better Huntsmen than them.

As for myself, Team RWBY dragged me off with them. So nothing new really. Where ever they wanted to go was fine by me. It just gave me time to finalize my plan. Knowing what I knew about Grimm, I knew that Ursa were attracted to the scent of honey that came from the Forever Fall. For whatever reason. So if I managed to spill enough, I could just draw Grimm to the area and sneak off in the chaos. Before running off I'd have to ditch the stupid scroll though.

Finally reaching a good enough spot, we all stopped and started collecting honey. Getting as far away from Team RWBY as I could, I leaned up against a tree. Pulling the scroll out of my pocket, I took the time to actually look at some of the things on it. To be honest, there were a lot of useful tools on it. One of them however, made me less then happy. The tool in question tracked how much Aura I had left. Next to the bar that tracked my Aura was a picture of me. Of when I attended Pharos. There was a stupid smile on my face. Sneering, I almost chucked the thing on the ground.

That picture was of a different me. A version of me that represented everything I now hated. Had I met the members of Team's RWBY and JNPR back then, we would have been fast friends. We would have shared the same ideals. Now however, we couldn't be anymore different. Putting the scroll away, I was just happy that I had eventually learned. Even if I had to learn the hard way, I still learned.

Crossing my arms, I could see that Ruby and Yang were laughing about something. Blake, as usual, had her attention buried in a book. Breaking the peace however, a scream could be heard in the distance. It caught all our attention. Not thinking twice, Ruby had bolted after whoever made the noise. The rest of Team RWBY followed her soon after. In the heat of the moment, they had forgotten about me. Seeing my chance, I took it. Practically throwing the scroll out of my pocket, I ran in the opposite direction. After only a few minutes of running, a pack of Beowolves blocked my path. Seeing as how I was in an opening, I wasn't able to use my Semblance.

"Come on! I don't have time for this shit!" Unsheathing my sword, I didn't bother getting into my stance. Rushing the pack, I sliced through them. Killing two before I was forced to block, I was punished for my recklessness. Getting blindsided by one of it's friends, my Aura took a hit. My anger was only fueling them. In my rage at being slowed down, I chose to tank through their attack and cut them down. Just as I thought it was clear, a few more showed up. Mowing through the new arrivals, I was home free.

Or so I thought. Out of nowhere, I was launched into a nearby tree. Standing up, I could see that it was an Alpha. So, the dad came to check on his kids eh? Well he was too late. Rushing towards my prey, what happened next seemed to happen in slow motion. Intercepting my swing, another Alpha had showed up. Instead of stopping like I expected, my arms kept their momentum. My blade had shattered. Smacking me, I was sent skidding back along the ground. The only thing that remained of my blade was the handle. That's what I get for using an old piece of shit I suppose. I should have ditched it back in Vale before I started my journey.

While I still had access to Lunar and Solar Eclipse, I couldn't bring myself to use them. In the past, I only used Solar Eclipse when I had no other choice. There was still a small amount of blade left on my sword. It would have to work. It _had_ to work. Running forward, I was determined to win. Shooting past me, a red blur made contact with the two Alphas before I could. In an instant, they were nothing but Grimm dust.

"Umbra! Are you okay!?" Damn her. Scoffing, I took a look at the broken sword at my hand. Tossing it to the ground, I turned towards Ruby.

"I had it handled." A lie, but I wasn't going to let her know otherwise.

"What happened? Why are you all the way over here?" I was trying to escape. What else?

"After the four of you ran off, two packs of Beowolves attacked me. Since I was by myself, I had trouble fighting off two Alpha's and their packs." As I was in the middle of talking, the rest of her team had showed up. What I had said wasn't a complete lie, but it also wasn't the full truth either. It was the perfect mix of the two.

"They must have caught you off guard, because I found this." Ruby handed me my scroll. "I hope you don't mind but… I took a peek. It was flashing because your Aura was gone. That's why I hurried off to find you." Gee. Thanks. So in the end, it was my stupid scroll that sped up their search effort. Son of a… "Oh, you forgot your sword by the way. I know it's broken but I can fix it for you."

"Don't bother, it's trash. I should know. I was the one who made it. Besides, I don't want to owe a Hunter anything." Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I started making my way back to the sap collection site. Angry that my best shot at an early escape was gone, I didn't bother to speak to Team RWBY on the way back. Finishing our mission, we made our way back to the Bullheads when we were done.

By the time we returned to campus, it was dusk. Instead of getting trapped in the pack, I made my way towards the overlook. Gripping the railing, I peered over the horizon. The sun was setting and the sky was alight with a variety of colors. Blue, orange and pink. Overall, it was a nice sunset. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled my scroll out. Opening up my Aura tracker, I looked at the old photo of myself again. Each time I saw that smiling face of my younger self, I got pissed. I was angry at myself for being so blinded. For only a second, I debated on throwing my scroll over the ledge. In the end, I knew it wouldn't accomplish anything. Instead, I pocketed it and turned around. Seeing that most of the crowd had thinned out now, I made my way to my room. My escape would have to wait until another day.


	14. No Honor Among Shadows

Now that my sword was broken, I was left with Lunar and Solar Eclipse. As much as I hated it, I had to use at least one during the sparing matches I was forced into during combat class. While I could have just had Ruby repair my old weapons like she offered, there was no way I would owe a Hunter a favor. It took some getting use to because of the weight difference, but I eventually got the hang of how Lunar Eclipse handled. The blade complimented my hit and run strategy as well. When using Lunar Eclipse, I made sure to fight like… she did. While I was fast in my own right, she was always faster. She used a technique called Iaido. It always threw me off how fast she was able to react to my attacks. While I wasn't as fast as her, I planned to change that today. Classes were over and I needed to train.

Finding an empty space where I could practice in peace, I used a technique of my own that I haven't used in quite sometime. Closing my eyes, I put my right hand on the grip of Lunar Eclipse. In front of me, I imagined that there was a shadow figure standing in front of me. They were wielding a weapon of some sort, it wasn't the important part. Steadying my breathing, I imagined that they rushed me. Then, before they could attack, I unsheathed Lunar Eclipse. In a flash, they were gone. Resetting my stance, I repeated this process over and over. After doing this for so long I lost track of time. When I opened my eyes I noticed that it was dusk. I had been doing this for so long that I had skipped a meal. Oh well, knowing how to use Lunar Eclipse properly was more important. As I was leaving, an unexpected visitor showed up.

"Umbra, I'm so glad that I found you." That was a surprise for a multitude of reasons. The biggest reason being that the person who said this, was Yang. I was under the assumption that she didn't like me, even if she didn't let it show. Stopping, I let her run up to me. This might be interesting. "So uh, I've got a huge favor to ask you." Oh great. She needed something. Let me guess? She want's me to steal the answer sheet for the upcoming test? "Awhile ago, Blake kinda ran off. We've been looking for her all day but we can't find her. Can you please help us search for her." Now that I wasn't expecting.

"Why would you ask me? You know I don't like any of you." There was no reason for me to go out of my way for any of them. They could handle their problems on their own.

"It's because of your Semblance. It's almost night out, and you could easily search more of Vale faster than any of us could. Please?" That was all well and good, but she was forgetting one thing…

"Well. Since you asked so nicely… No. I'm not any of your friends, so this isn't my problem. Also, aren't you forgetting something? What's stopping me from just running away?" Yang gained a panicked look on her face when I said that. It looks like she really did forget about that. Did she just completely forget who I was, or what? Hanging her head low, Yang was distraught. Not my problem she wasn't a better negotiator. Turning to leave, Yang called out to me.

"Wait! What about this, if you help us find Blake, and don't run away, Ruby will make you a new sword!" Stopping, I turned my head to look at her. "You said you didn't want to owe her anything, right? Well this way, you won't owe her anything! It's a win win for everyone!" Minus the whole not running away part, that did sound like a pretty good deal. Running a hand through my hair, I thought it over. If I helped find Blake, that meant I'd get a free brand new sword. I wouldn't have to risk damaging Lunar or Solar Eclipse. Sighing, I turned around to fully face the blonde brawler.

"Fine. You have a deal. But I have one more condition." Nodding her head, Yang was listening. "I also want her to take a look at my other two weapons. Make sure that they're in good condition."

"You've got a deal!" Yang reached her hand out to shake mine. Scoffing, I turned to leave.

"I'll find your friend. But Ruby better be ready to make me a new weapon. A good one too. If it's crap, I won't be too happy." Walking off towards the landing pads for the Bullheads, I had a Huntress to find. I can't believe I just said that…

Stepping out onto the streets of Vale, it wasn't quite dark enough to use my Semblance yet. In a few more minutes I figured. Not wasting anytime, I started walking. It didn't cross my mind until I reached Vale, but I had forgotten to ask Yang why Blake had ran off. Not like I cared, but it would have helped in narrowing my search. Was she sad? Angry? Scared? It was hard to imagine Blake showing any of those emotions to be honest. I was just so used to that creepy blank stare she gave me.

After walking for awhile, I tried my Semblance again. Slipping into the shadows, I knew it was time. Rushing up a nearby building, I looked searched the streets below. Going rooftop to rooftop my search probably wasn't as fast as Yang was hoping for. When you were searching for someone, you didn't want to move too fast or you might pass right by them. I searched anywhere a Huntress in training might run off to. The mall, the arcades, the shopping district and even a few movie theaters. At each location I came up empty. By the time night fully hit, I was out of ideas. So now, it was onto just searching at random. A good plan would be to search the outer area of Vale and move inwards. Starting near the secret exit, I made my way around Vale.

Reaching the docks, I found an odd scene. Some members of the White Fang were working with a man in a white suit to steal Dust. The man looked familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on where. Across from me, I spotted two people. There was a blond guy with a tail, and a black haired girl. The outfit the girl was wearing… Blake.

Suddenly, she hopped off the container she was hiding on and rushed the man in the white suit. When she reached him, she held him hostage. She yelled something, but from where I was I could barely hear it. Then, she did something that I wasn't expecting. Pulling the bow that she always wore off, she revealed a set of cat ears. So. Blake was a faunus then. That would explain the staring. Guess she wasn't a robot after all.

The blond guy hopped off the container as well now and went to help Blake. It looks like her words weren't enough. Seeing some snipers positioned around on various containers, I figured I'd lend a hand from the shadows. If only to payback the White Fang for what they did to me at Mt. Glenn. Underneath my jacket, I made sure to bring Solar Eclipse with me just in case something like this happened. Unsheathing my blade, I snuck up behind the first sniper. Slitting his throat, crimson blood shot out and painted the container we were on red. One by one I killed them all the same way. By the time the survivors had caught on, I had already ended the lives of a bunch of their friends.

Landing on top of another container, I was rocked by an explosion. Losing my balance, I was forced to catch myself with the use of my Semblance. Landing on my feet, I was standing next to a now confused Ruby.

"Umbra? What a-" I already knew her questions. What was I doing here?

"Less talking, more fighting." Dashing off into the chaos, I fought with more White Fang. They were all using guns, so they had no real defense against my Tanto. Not to mention, I could easily just appear behind them. After a few more minutes of battle, I noticed some Bullheads take off. Those who didn't want to lose their lives had left. Sheathing Solar Eclipse, I looked around. It was easy to tell who fought who. While all of the people that Team RWBY had taken on were injured or incapacitated, all of my victims were laying in a pool of their own blood. Looking at one of the terrorists that I had slit the neck of, an image popped into my head.

Gripping my head, I stumbled. Catching myself, I was shaking. The way he was gripping at his neck to stop the bleeding… It reminded me of Mark. Taking a few deep breathes, I turned away. Gathering myself to the best of my abilities, I made my way towards the now regrouped Team RWBY. When I reached them, their attention was turned to me. While everyone else looked surprised to see me, Yang wore a smile on her face.

"Umbra, what are you doing here?" Ruby finally got to ask her question from earlier.

"I was looking for Blake. Yang sent me. She said if I helped look tha-" Before I could finish, what felt like a sack of bricks slammed into me. Ruby held me in a death grip.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Jeez. It's not like they didn't find her themselves. Using my Semblance, I got myself out of that situation quick. Dusting myself off, I turned back towards Team RWBY.

"Whatever. Anyway, as I was saying, Yang said that if I helped Ruby would make me a new sword. Not only that, but she'd also take a look at my other two weapons as well." Ruby got even more excited when she heard me mention this. Letting Team RWBY lead the way back to Beacon, I took a look towards the night sky. Shining down was the shattered moon. Alongside it were all the stars. I couldn't help but wonder. What did they think of me? Of what I've been doing? Did they hate me? They had to have seen it all. From home, to now.

The next day I had Ruby look at Lunar and Solar Eclipse before starting work on my new weapon. When she said she couldn't find anything wrong with them, I felt relieved. It was one less thing I had to worry about for the moment. As for Blake… Not much changed that I was aware of. Well, she did act more friendly towards her team, but that was about it. I'd still catch her staring at me with those creepy eyes of hers at times though. Hated that. Not as much as I hated trying to get to sleep last night. Because that damn White Fang member reminded me of Mark, it made sleeping very difficult.

Once the bell had rung, I stretched in my seat before standing up. In most of my classes today I had fallen asleep. Combat class was no exception. Rubbing my eyes as I stood, I looked over to see both Team's RWBY and JNPR were walking towards me. Well. Most of Team JNPR. They were missing one.

"Heya!" There are two things that should never mix. Tired people, and loud noises. Spinning around I saw that the one who had made the noise was Nora. When did she have time to get over here?

"Nora, what did I say about doing things like that?" Ren spoke to her like she was a child. She not only had the energy of one, but the maturity of one as well. Laughing, she made her way to the rest of her team. "Sorry about that Umbra." Why was he apologizing? It's not like he was the one that almost gave me a heart attack and killed me. I just waved him off.

"You didn't do anything. You have nothing to apologize for." Apologizing for the actions of others was meaningless. It didn't carry any weight and held no meaning. Not that I was angry to begin with, just annoyed. "Before anyone asks me, no. I don't wish to hang out." I could see it on a few of their faces.

"Aw come on Umbra. Just when I thought you were starting to open up." Open up? What was Yang talking about? Oh, she meant how I helped in the search for Blake.

"I thought you would have learned by now that I only do things when there's something in it for me. I didn't help you out of the goodness of my heart." Weiss gained a smug look on her face when I said that. She was probably the only person here who was smart enough to realize that.

"Yeah yeah yeah. You say that every time you do something. Anyway, if you don't want to hang out with us, are you at least going to the dance that's coming up?" As if. To begin with, I hated crowds. On top of that I couldn't dance.

"No. If I did, I'd just make things weird anyways. It's hard to be in a good mood when a murderer is around." Crossing her arms, it looked like Yang didn't like my asnwer.

"Come onnn. Me and my team are gonna be setting it up. You'll have funnn." I highly doubted that. If anyone on Team RWBY was involved, I was guaranteed to _not_ have fun.

"There is no way I would ever…"

"… put myself through this." Standing with my arms out, someone named Coco was measuring me. Scowling, I couldn't believe I was doing this. Nearby, Yang was laughing her ass off at me. "Laugh all you want Yang. I'll make sure you get yours later." She could consider it a threat.

"Ohhh what are you gonna do, huh? Use your words to make me feel bad?" Once again, Yang had forgotten just who I was. She'd remember. In time.

"Almost done. Ya mind moving a little Umbra?" Doing as Coco asked, I wanted this over as soon as possible. The less time I spent here, the better. Before long, even though it felt like an hour, she was done. "Alright. I'll have something before tomorrow. Just don't go ruining it before, alright?" After saying that, she raised her sunglasses and gave me a wink. Why was everyone here so weird? It must have been a Huntsmen thing. They were all weird.

"Hey Umbra. I know Ruby is making you that sword, but thank you. For finding Blake." I scoffed at that, I didn't need her thanks.

"Words mean nothing to me. Actions are what matter. Ruby is making the sword and that's good enough." Rolling her eyes, Yang huffed.

"Alright then…" Not fully understanding what she was doing, Yang leaned in. And left a quick peck on my cheek. Backing up, I wiped at where she kissed.

"What's wrong with you!?" Seriously!? There was no reason for that!" I hated this stupid place.

"What? You said words didn't mean anything to you. So instead, I used an 'action' to give my thanks." Smart-ass… Laughing at my misfortune Yang crossed her arms. Turning around, I left the room. Who did she think she was?

After that… incident… a few days had passed. Coco had delivered the suit and I kept it in my room. The stupid thing was only going to be worn once, so I hope Yang was okay with wasting lien. Deciding to do some more intense training today, I left my scroll in my locker. Oz never said I had to have it on me at all times, now did he? During my search for a place to train, I ran into Ruby.

"Oh, Umbra, I have some good news! You're weapon is done!" Well that was fast. It was only a few days. What kind of weapon smith was she? Pausing my training for now, I followed her to the forge. When we arrived, the small reaper handed me my new sword. Looking it over, it was nice. Except for the stupid black rose she put on both sides of the blade, it looked just like my old one.

"I hope you like it. Even though you told me to leave it, I snuck the grip back with me. I was planning on making you a sword without you knowing." That explained it. Also, did I hear her right? She was just going to make a weapon for me regardless? "And, Umbra. Thank you. You didn't have to help us find Blake." Not again… Thinking over my words better this time, I looked at Ruby.

"Ruby, words have no value to me. If you wish to thank me, you have to do something for me in return. Such as this sword. It's thanks enough." Fidgeting with her hands, she lowered her gaze.

"I know. But still…" As if forgetting what we were just talking about, her head shot back up. "OH! What are you gonna name your new sword, huh!?"

"Swords don't need names. They're just tools. Would you name a saw you use to cut a board?" Putting her two index fingers together, she averted her gaze from me.

"Maybe… Well, if you're not going to name it, I will!" Putting a hand to her chin, she was deep in thought. Sighing, I couldn't believe her. "How about… Uh… Shadow Rose! Yeah!" Oh. Wow. How original… Let me guess, she also has a hammer named Quake Rose? To go along with her scythe, Crescent Rose. How did I know her weapons name? Easy. She wouldn't shut up about it when I first got here.

"Whatever. I'm going to go get reacquainted with the weight of my sword. You go name some office supplies." Going our separate ways, I was glad that I wouldn't have to risk breaking Lunar Eclipse. Since I was thinking to myself, I didn't notice the person I bumped into. She didn't fall, but she did stumble back. Behind her were two more students. Must have been her teammates.

"Excuse me, I'm so sor…" Holding a hand up to her mouth, her eyes slightly widened. "Are you… Umbra? Umbra Hart?" Oh great. Here we go…

"Yeah. What about it?" Smiling at me, she put her hand back down.

"Well, it's just that I've heard a lot about you. And if you were okay with it, I wished to talk to you." That was odd. People were usually afraid of me or disgusted by me. By the way this girl was acting, she almost seemed to idolize me.

"Well, I'm right here. What do you want." Shaking her head, she returned her gaze to me soon after.

"I'm afraid that what I want to talk to you about is… much to private for all the prying eyes that are around. Why don't we continue this conversation in my dorm room?" This was either a complete waste of my time… Or a trap. Either way, something about her and her friends just didn't seem right. Something felt off about them. The one with green hair was giving me weird looks, while the gray haired one seemed bored. You know what, why not?

"Very well. Lead the way." Her smile growing, the girl lead the way. The four of us walked to their dorm room. Since her friends were following us, I knew the chances of this being a waste of time were slim. When we reached the room, I let the three of them enter first. Closing the door behind me, I leaned my new sword up against the wall. If it was a trap, at least it would be near.

"I'm glad you chose to indulge me, Umbra." Now that we were out of the halls, her demeanor seemed to change. "Please, why don't you take a seat and listen to what I have to tell you." Crossing my arms, I chose to stand.

"Why don't you just get on with it? I'm fine like this." I wasn't going to sit, just in case I was attacked and had to spring into action.

"Right to the point. I admire that." Giving me a more confident smile, the girl sat down on one of the beds. Her friends found their own seats around the room. "My name, is Cinder. These two are Emerald and Mercury." She pointed to them as she said their names. "Umbra, you've caught the eye of… my employer. She wishes to have you join us." Just as I was ready to turn her offer down, she cut me off. "Before you say anything, you're after a Captain in Atlas. Correct? If I'm right, her name is Eliza Dubos." What!? Giving her a glare, the feeling that I was being set up was starting to take root.

"How do you know that?" I almost growled it out. "There's no way you could know that." Smirking, Cinder gave me a serious look.

"My employer knows a lot about you Umbra, and of what you've been through." If she was trying to gain my trust, it wasn't working. "If you help me here at Beacon, I can help you easily achieve your goal." Hearing that though, my interest had instantly peaked. "If you wish, I would even be willing to have Emerald here lend you a hand. Lets just say, with her help, Eliza would have trouble tracking you in a fight." Now that… that sounded good. Really good. I may look down on most people, but I knew my limits. The only reason I had managed to take out Hector and Danial is because they were both drunk. So I still wasn't sure if I would be able to handle a, then Lieutenant at the time, by myself. Now that she was a Captain, I knew I wouldn't stand a chance against her. "What will it be, Umbra?"

"If you can help me get out of here and kill Eliza… I'm in…" Hearing me say this, Cinder smiled.


	15. The True Meaning of Strength

Sitting off to the side, I chose not to participate in the dance. Just because I was here didn't mean I had to take part. Every now and then, someone would walk up to me to ask me to dance. Obviously, their friends were daring them. It was just some stupid game. Maybe they were all in it together to annoy the crap out of me. Looking over, I could see Ruby leaving the room. So in the end, she couldn't stand it either. Having enough with people annoying me, I decided to head out to the balcony.

Yang couldn't yell at me for bailing, because technically I would still be around. Just not inside. Passing Jaune and Pyrrha as they entered the party, they must have been outside. Ignoring them, I just walked right out. Up above the moon was out, and just like always the stars were with it. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the lighter I had stolen long ago. Hector had a few of a lot of them. The one I stole was just an average looking lighter. It was made of brass. Flipping it open, I tried to light it. After a few flicks, nothing happened. Empty. Rubbing the lighter, I looked up at the moon. There was a star directly underneath the moon shining brighter than those around it. I smiled when I saw it.

"Oh, Umbra. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to find you out here." Putting the usual scowl back on my face, I put the lighter away and turned to face the person talking to me. Of course, it was my number one tormentor here at Beacon. Ruby.

"What are you doing back here? I thought you ran off?" I remembered seeing her rush off in a hurry earlier. So why did she bother to come back?

"Oh. I uh… Just had something I had to take care of. I'm back now though." Whatever. Her business was her own. "Soooo. What are you doing out here?" But it looks like when it came to me, my business was _everyone's_ business.

"I tried telling all of you, I don't care for stuff like this. So, I found a loophole." Turning back towards the moon, I put my back towards her. Right now, I really didn't feel like talking to her. Annoyingly, she walked up beside me.

"When I was really little, my mom died. She went on a mission, and she never came back." Why was she telling me this, what made her think I cared? "At the time, I was too young to understand…" If she was trying to get me to feel sorry for her, it wasn't going to work. "So… in a way… I can understand how you feel Umbra." So that's what she was… Pushing off the railing, I was really angry now.

"Shut up. Just, shut up. You don't understand anything. Just because your mother died, you think we're the same? Ha, yeah right. Maybe in that little fantasy world of yours maybe. But this is the real world Ruby. That's just not how things work." At first, she was visibly flustered. I don't think she expected me to lash out the way I did. It only took a second, but she gathered herself.

"Well maybe I would understand if you just talked to me! I'll never be able to understand if you just keep everything to yourself!" Now I was confused. During my time at Beacon, Ruby had never once yelled at someone the way she just did. "You won't be able to make any friends if you just keep things bottled inside!" Like I cared.

"I don't need friends. They would only slow me down. Besides. I had a friend once, and she… She betrayed me too! No matter how close you get to someone, they'll always find a way to stab you in the back." That last part made me flinch. It was harsh, and I wasn't even sure if I believed it.

"Umbra, you can't let what happened in the past effect who you are. It makes you… I-" I already knew what she was going to say.

"It makes me weak? Is that what you were going to say?" Shaking her head, she looked at me with her silver eyes.

"No, you didn't let me finish. If everything is as bad as you think it is, but you still managed to survive. It makes you strong. But you have to want the need to change if you're going to do anything with that strength." In that moment, as she said that, I didn't see Ruby. For just a moment… I saw… Carmine.

What made matters worse is that we were standing in the moonlight. Just like that night I had finally confessed my love to her. I wanted nothing more then to hold her. But I knew better. Carmine was gone. And she was never coming back. Walking back towards the railing, I leaned against it.

"You want to know more about me that badly huh?" Gazing up at the cracked moon, I had a feeling I was going to regret this. "I can't stand Huntsmen. I hate them with every fiber of my being. That wasn't always the case, believe it or not. Because of who my parents were, there was a time I wanted nothing more then to be just like them. When I started attending Pharos Academy though, things started to change."

"I thought going in, that because of the things my father did, people would be happy to see me. But it was the complete opposite. Everyone hated me. They thought that my father and the rest of Team SHDE was responsible for the fall of Mt. Glenn. Some people believed that my mom was innocent, but most thought she was in on it as well. During my entire time at Pharos, only one person was willing to see me as more then just my fathers son. She was… my only friend."

"She was the only person I could ever do anything with. We trained together, studied together and even spent time together after school. I… I Lo… I cared for her. A lot. Eventually I found out that her father… did things to her. Because of that, she didn't really like to touch, or be touched, by others. Since her father was a cop, and an ex-Huntsman, there wasn't anything I could do. At least, that's what I tell myself. One day, she uh… She found out something. And by the time I found her. It was… too late. I… tried. I really… tried. But she just… didn't listen to me. Those weapons I carry around, the one's I had you look at? Those were hers. And they're the only thing left of her that I have. Anyway, after that, I left Vale with my father and we returned home. I just couldn't go back."

"For a few years, he trained me some more. I wanted so badly to be a Huntsman. To be just like my parents, and to graduate from the same school they did. But everything changed. All it took, was one night. After everything I went through in Vale, I wondered if what people said were true. So I asked my dad. I don't know if it was because he was drunk, or he just didn't see any reason in hiding it since I was going to Beacon. But… it turns out… they were right. My father, Hector Hart, is nothing but a monster. Him, Danial and Eliza turned on my mom at Mt. Glenn and helped cause chaos to draw in more Grimm. While it's true that those three turned their backs on everyone, my mom fought till the end. Against people she once called friends, and even her own husband. That's how she ended up in the hospital."

"Do you want to know the worst part? Why they did what they did? They did it for lien. For… lien… They turned their backs on the world for something so… fickle. So many people died and suffered because of what they did. And they got away with it. That. Is why I hate Huntsmen. They're selfish, egotistical bastards that don't care about anyone but themselves. Right before I killed him, my father said something to me. He said, 'There is no such thing as hero's. There are no knights in shining armor ready to save the day. Hunters putting their lives at stake for others. Police keeping the peace…' For all the lies he's told, this is the one thing he's said that I believe to be true. The only person you can count on, that you can really trust, is yourself. The reason I killed my father, Danial and why I'm after Eliza… Is to avenge my mom, and all of the people who suffered because of them. So if no one else is willing to do anything about it, then it's up to me to make sure that they pay."

Not once did Ruby interrupt me. She just listened, let me talk. It was stupid really. Letting her know so much about me. Why I did what I did. We weren't friends, and I had no intentions of ever getting too close to anyone ever again. So… Why did I tell her? Maybe… it was because every time I looked at her, I was reminded of Carmine. Then, out of nowhere, Ruby had hugged me. Throwing my arms up in surprise, I didn't know how to react. Slowly, I settled on returning the hug.

"Umbra, I wish you would have told me all this sooner." While I couldn't see her face, I knew she was crying. What a waste of tears. For awhile, we just stood there in the moonlight.

"It's nothing worth crying over. Like you said. That was the past, this is now." Breaking off from the hug, I crossed my arms and looked back towards the moon. "Ruby. Know that this changes nothing. This… doesn't make us friends. And I'm not going to stop chasing Eliza. Just know that once I'm out of here, I'm going to go right back to what I was doing." No matter what, I wouldn't give up. I couldn't give up.

"I… I understand. Umbra." She sounded disappointed. Whether it was because I wasn't willing to be her friend or the second thing, I wasn't sure. In the end, it didn't matter. Not wanting to be here anymore, I turned towards the doors to leave. Taking a few steps forward, I stopped to tell her one more thing.

"And Ruby? You aren't allowed to tell anyone what happened here. Got it?" Looking back, I could see her nod her head. That was enough for me. Taking my leave, I was ready to go to sleep and end the day.

* * *

Watching Umbra leave the dance, Cinder wasn't too happy. She had seen the interaction between him and the one named Ruby. Sensing this, Emerald spoke her mind.

"Should we just kill him? If he turns sides, it might get in our way." While she watched Umbra leave, Cinder responded to her faithful underling.

"While it is… troublesome to see Umbra interacting with someone in such a way, I still have faith in him. If he wants to kill Eliza as much as he says he does, then he will pull through." Cinder knew that Umbra's hatred for Eliza had outweighed everything else in his life. Sharing his story with someone else didn't mean anything. Though, she couldn't help but wonder why he would bother in the first place…

* * *

Leaning against a wall with my arms crossed, I was in a panic. On the outside you wouldn't be able to tell. But on the inside, I was freaking out. Standing on a boat in the middle of the ocean, I was on a mission. I know I know. I did it once before to reach Solitas. But this time was different. Not only was the ship smaller, but we were actively seeking out Grimm. Meaning there was a chance our boat could sink. The entire reason I was here was because Ozpin had sent students out on missions. While Team RWBY was off who knows where, I was stuck on some crappy boat. The only silver lining was that I was stuck with a third year team.

Ozpin said he would be sending me with a third year team since my Semblance would allow me to keep up with them. The only problem was, I couldn't use my Semblance in the light of day in the middle of the ocean! I knew exactly what that bastard was doing… There was no way I would let him break me though, I'll show him!

"Yo!" Making me jump, it was Barry, the leader of Team BGND. The team I had been assigned to for the time being. "Whoa, you okay dude?" He was slightly taller than me, he had brown hair and eyes to match.

"Just fine." Just like that, his smile returned to his face.

"If you say so man. Though if you need to sit this one out, don't worry about it. I won't tell anyone if you don't." I'd have to decline his offer. Being dead weight isn't exactly something I wanted to be known for. Pushing off the wall, I followed him to the front of the boat. For a few days now we've been hunting a Sea Feilong. Apparently it was attacking ships that were passing through and in doing so, it was disrupting trade.

"Hey, guys, knock that off! Did you already forget? We got company!" Rounding the corner, I could see that Desmond was holding Nix in a headlock. However, when they saw us rounding the corner, they stopped what they were doing.

"What are ya talk'in about boss?" Desmond was on the shorter side. He had longer hair that was blonde.

"Don't play dumb, dumb-ass!" Nix was built a little heavier, and he had short black hair. How he got caught in Desmond's headlock, I'll never know.

"Come one guys, we're suppose to be role models. Show this first year here how things are done." Barry put his hand on my shoulder. Of which I promptly shook off. "Uhh, we're down a man. Anyone seen Graz?" As if on cue, the nearby door was blasted open and out came Graz. Running up to us, his fly was down.

"Sorry Barry, I slept in!" Now. Under normal circumstances, I would have been looked down on such a person. But here's the thing. The dude was seven feet tall. If not taller. Not only that, but he looked like he could bench press me without even breaking a sweat. Seeing the state the giant was in, Desmond and Nix started laughing. Looking around, Graz was trying to find what was so funny.

"What? What are you guys laughing at?" You _had_ to be kidding me.

"Dude. Not cool." Walking over to him, Barry was pinching the bridge of his nose. Reaching the giant, he let his hand down and delivered a swift punch to the mans gut. Either it was weaker then it looked, or Graz just straight up didn't feel it. "You can't just walk around like that! If any girls were around, they'd call ya a pervert!" Looking down, he finally found out what was so funny. Flushing a bright red, he fixed the problem.

"Uhhh. Sorry about that." Rubbing the back of his bald head, it was a weird display. Someone like him acting so timid. Sighing, Barry turned to face me.

"Well Umbra, welcome to Team BGND! Self-proclaimed best third year team of Hunters you'll ever meet!" Yeah. Self-proclaimed…

With nothing to do but wait, we all sat around. The members of Team BGND were playing some card game while I was laying down looking up at the clouds. I just looked at it as another chance to relax, a chance to escape the annoyance that was Team RWBY. Thinking about it, I wasn't actually sure which team was worse. They were all Hunters in the end, so I guess they were all just as bad. Closing my eyes to nap, I didn't get to do so for long. Hearing a noise off to the side of the boat, I heard Barry yell.

"We found it boys, let's do this!" Shooting up, I unsheathed my sword. Over looking the boat was in fact, a Sea Feilong. For as much as I didn't want to be dead weight, there wasn't much I could do. None of my weapons had ranged functions. After all, they were only meant to get through Pharos. I probably shouldn't have asked Ruby to make my new sword just like my old one. As if hearing my complaining, various fish Grimm started jumping onboard. Beggars can't be choosers I guess.

"I'll leave the big one to you guys. I'll handle the small fry." Rushing over to the smaller Grimm, I began slicing through them. There were all sorts of different Grimm. Fish Grimm had never interested me, and I thought the chances that I would ever encounter any would be slim. Because of this, I didn't know as much about them compared to other Grimm. The same could be said about the Sea Feilong. While my attention was focused on all the smaller Grimm, I barely heard him in time.

"Umbra watch it!" Graz had called out to me, but it was too late. Getting blindsided by the Sea Feilong's tail, I was sent flying. While my sword remained on the safety of the boat, I wasn't so lucky. Getting sent into the water below, I started freaking out. Flailing my arms and legs, I struggled to reach the surface. Memories of when I was younger raced through my mind. I felt just as scared as I did that day… No matter how hard I tried, the surface only seemed to get farther away. Just as I was about to lose all hope, I felt someone grab onto me. The two of us traveled back up towards the boat. When we reached the surface, they threw me up onto the boat. With how much strength that would have required, I expected Graz to be my savior. However, when I looked, I could see he was still on the boat. The only one missing was Barry.

Coughing up some water, I gasped for air. Flipping onto my back, I sat up to watch their fight play out. While Nix was distracting the Sea Feilong with his bow and arrows, Desmond threw his bladed boomerangs. Since it was too busy dodging Nix's arrows, it didn't notice the two boomerangs heading towards it's wings. Cutting through with ease, the Sea Feilong was now crippled.

"Barry, Graz, now!" Desmond called out to the two. Hearing the signal, Graz readied his giant hammer. The end he brought crashing down towards his target was a flat square. Jumping out of the water, I could see Barry had a matching hammer. Together, the two of them met halfway. Crushing the Grimm between their hammers. The two remaining members of Team BGND that were on the boat cheered. Flopping back down, I just wanted the day to be over already.

When nighttime hit, I wasn't able to sleep. I couldn't stop thinking back to getting tossed over the side of the boat. I couldn't believe I was going to say it, but if it wasn't for Barry, I would have died. It pissed me off that the one to save me was a Huntsman. Sighing, I got out of bed. It was a bunk room, so there were just enough beds for everyone on board, including the captain. Stepping out onto the deck, I heard laughter coming from the front of the boat. Walking over, I could see the members of Team BGND were playing their card game again.

"Yo, Umbra. We didn't wake you up, did we?" The leader of Team BGND saw me.

"No. I wasn't able to sleep." Nodding his head, he motioned for me to come over.

"Well if that's the case, why don't you join us?" I had no desire to play a stupid game with a bunch of Huntsman.

"No thanks. I just came out to get some air is all." Looking away, he dealt more cards to everyone.

"Alright then. Oh, how are you feeling by the way? I know you were pretty shaken up after taking a surprise dip into the ocean." Why would he care? It's not like I was a part of his team or anything.

"I'm fine. Though… I've been wondering. Why did you save me? You know who I am. Right?" Putting his cards down, Barry stood up.

"Well. First of all, I'm a Huntsman. It's my job. Secondly, I come from a family of helpers. In fact, my mom runs a clinic back at our home village." So, this was Mary's son. How fitting. Chuckling, Barry gave me a weird look. "What's so funny about that."

"It's just that, I met your mom. She helped me when I was injured. That's all." Smiling, he laughed.

"Well, waddya know? Funny how things work out sometime." Sitting back down to continue their game, Barry continued. "If you need anything Umbra, we'll be here." Like what? What could possib- I wasn't going to finish that. Walking off towards the back end of the boat, I looked up at the moon. It's pale shape was reflecting off the surface of the water. Surrounding it were countless stars. More and more I found myself staring up at the moon. It helped me to think. And right now, there was a lot to think about. Like what I was going to do when the Vytal Festival happened. Cinder had promised me that if I helped, I would no longer be stuck here in Beacon. Not only that, but she would have her friend Emerald help me take out Eliza. Her offer was too good to turn down. My mission was simple enough. All I had to do when she gave the signal… Was to cause as much chaos as possible.


	16. Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate

Waking me up, there was a knocking at my door. Groaning, I got out of bed. Ever since helping Team RWBY out at the docks, I hadn't been sleeping right. It was all that one stupid grunt's fault. Every time I tried to sleep, I saw Mark. As if trying to hurry me along, there was another round of knocking at my door.

"Give me a minute!" They had zero patience. Making myself somewhat presentable, I answered the door. Just as I expected, it was Ruby.

"What took you so long, you don't want to miss the Vytal Festival!" In a way, she was right. Just not the way she was thinking. Stepping out into the hall, I could see the rest of her team was there as well. Honestly, I was in the mood for any of their antics today. Ar the very least it was the last day I would be stuck with them. After walking around for awhile Weiss started spouting some crap about the festival that I couldn't care less about.

Wherever I looked, I saw crowds of people. It made me sick really. If I listened close enough, I could swear I heard laughter. I couldn't tell if it was just off in the distance, or I was imagining it. Having never been to a previous Vytal Festival, I didn't know to expect this. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Whipping my head around, I could that it was Yang.

"You okay Umbra?" No. But you didn't need to know that. Shrugging her off, I didn't appreciate her just touching me like that out of the blue.

"I'm fine." Short, simple and it would keep her from pursuing the topic further.

"Are sure? You look more tired then usual." Or not. Also, not what I thought she was talking about. "Your mission must have been a tough one." The opposite actually. I barely did anything.

"No. Just a simple search and destroy." That was the end of it, whether she wanted it to be or not. Judging by the way she crossed her arms and looked at me, it was the latter. Well, too bad for her.

Not too long after, we reached the stadium. And… it was packed. I went pale and almost fainted. People from all over the world were here to see the students from each Kingdom fight. It was going to be like this all day. When the first match had begun, I noticed that they fought with their teams. So even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to participate.

After a few more fights, Team RWBY was eventually called down to fight. Leaving me on my own. As much as I hated them, at least I knew them. If I was going to be stuck in a giant crowd, I'd rather be near someone I knew. Looking around, I eventually spotted someone I did know. Sitting at one of the bottom rows was Cinder and her friends. There was a girl with black hair with them that I hadn't met yet. Standing up, I walked over to them. With how many people were around, it felt like a longer walk then it really was. When I reached them, Cinder was the first to notice.

"Ah, Umbra. How nice of you to join us." In a way, it was nice to see them too. Now that I knew they weren't really Hunters that is. Cinder had told me as much after I told her I was in. She also told me what they were planning, and how she hated Huntsmen just as much as I did.

"Better then being stuck with a bunch of assholes." Taking a seat next to them, people nearby went out of their way to move seats. "Who's that?" I was talking about the short one. Leaning towards me so that only I could hear, Cinder was barely audible.

"I forgot that you two haven't been acquainted yet. This is Neo. She, along with Roman Torchwick, will be assisting us." Looking over to Neo, she flashed me a quick smile. It was… unnerving. There was something wrong with her, but I couldn't quite say what it was. Leaning back, I watched as Team RWBY walked out. In order to stay awake, I tried to focus on their fight. I really didn't want to fall asleep with that creepy girl around. In the end, Team RWBY won. Hopefully when they got back, they wouldn't try to look for me. It would be awkward for them to meet the people I was ditching them for. If I got lucky, they'd just think I went back to my room.

All day, teams of hunters fought each other. After a certain point, it turned to duos. The teams that had won then split in half and fought the other winners. When it was time for Cinders team to go, they sent Emerald and Mercury. They went up against two other students from Beacon, and I could have sworn I had seen one of them from somewhere. For how big their weapons were, they fell pretty quickly. If anything, it peaked my interest in Cinders group even more. Emerald and Mercury cleaned house with their fight. They had taken out their opponents without so much as taking a scratch. Taking a quick glance towards Cinder, I could see she had a smirk on her face. Just who exactly was I going to be working with?

Catching myself dozing off throughout the day, I hadn't even realized that they switched the model yet again. Now, all matches were being held in a one on one situation. If this was how things were from the beginning, I would have been more inclined to join in. Not like I would have been allowed to either way. To my surprise, Yang was the next fighter. Her opponent? Mercury. This fight had my full attention.

While he had dominated in his last match, Mercury was getting his ass kicked this time. Since there was such a night and day difference between the two fights, I knew something was up. The way Cinder had excused herself was odd as well. Then, when Mercury was beat, he reached his hand up to Yang so she would help him stand up. Instead, she turned and shot his leg with her shotgun/gauntlet. With everything combined, I knew the plan had started. Standing up, I started walking towards the exit. Catching a Bullhead, I flew back to Beacon.

Hurrying down the halls of Beacon, I made my way towards the lockers. Once there, I grabbed my equipment and left my scroll inside. I wouldn't be needing it again. While it would have been nice to be informed of what was going on, I knew they didn't fully trust me yet. It was fair, considering I don't trust them either. Finding a place where I could watch the rest of the show from Beacon, I paced. I was eager to finally leave Beacon behind and finalize my revenge. Due to Yang's… Outburst. There was a break in the festival. Things were soon back on track however, and the fighting continued.

Pacing the entire time, I was waiting for my signal. My heart was racing. Freedom was so close. Looking up at the screen, I could see that Pyrrha from Team JNPR was up. For a majority of the fight, she seemed to be panicked. The only thing I could think of is that it was Emeralds Semblance. Cinder had told me that with Emeralds help, I would have a leg up on Eliza during our fight. I saw what she meant now.

Looking as though Pyrrha would lose, she suddenly let loose. Using her Semblance, she maimed her opponent. Which just so happened to be a robot that looked like a student. After this happened, people started freaking out. Honestly, the robot in disguise was the more shocking factor to me. For awhile the cameras stayed rolling, before cutting to show Cinder. As she gave a speech, I got distracted by the Bullheads that flew overhead. Some of them went towards the Amity Colosseum, but others flew towards Beacon.

Cinder had told me that all I had to do was cause chaos. But from where I was, I wasn't so sure how to go about it. Watching one of the Bullheads land, I watched as Grimm poured out of it. Wait a minute… Not wasting anytime, they started chasing down people nearby. More Bullheads landed and when they did, more Grimm came out. I was under the assumption we were targeting the Huntsmen, not the civilians. Sneering, I realized why she left me out of the loop. Rushing forward, I went to protect the people who couldn't defend themselves. If any Hunters were to die, oh well. They could all die for all I cared. My only priority were the people running for their lives.

Jumping in-between a few Beowolves and a family, I unsheathed my sword and sliced through them with ease. Not far behind the Beowolves was an Ursa. Using my Semblance, I went for it's exposed neck. Damn them… Damn them for not telling me!

* * *

Having attended the Vytal Festival, Damian and his group were there to do more then just watch Hunters fight. They attended so that they'd have quick access to Beacon when the attack had started. Together, the three of them were running towards the Bullheads. When they arrived, they had to wait until the next wave had arrived.

"Arghh! Come on! We don't have all day!" Angry, Lexi stomped her foot down. Walking up next to her, Damian put a hand on her shoulder.

"Patience Lexi. We'll make it. Take a deep breath." Doing as he said, Lexi calmed down. "You won't be able to fight without a clear mind. Remember that." Letting go of her shoulder, the next Bullhead had arrived. No sooner then when they stepped on, it was already packed. Sadly for the people on the Colosseum, the Bullheads were on an automated system. Meaning they would only travel between Beacon and the Colosseum. As scared as everyone was from what just happened, things were about to get worse for them.

Stepping off the Bullhead they were on, the three of them were greeted to even more chaos. Running all over the place was a variety of Grimm. Unsheathing their weapons, they got to work.

* * *

"Captain, what is going on here?" On board the ship Eliza was stationed, people were running around. They were preparing for battle. Taking a quick glance at Eliza, the Captain of the ship soon returned his attention to what he was doing.

"I'm still trying to find out that myself. All we know is that we've lost contact with one of our ships. It's begun firing on friendlies to boot." Right as he finished, an explosion was heard and the ship jolted.

"Sir! We've been hit!" Alarms started blaring. "We won't survive another like that!" Swearing, the Captain was starting to sweat.

"Get us into position, we're going to take them out!" Turning back to face his console, the soldier went back to work.

"With all due respect sir, we should evacuate. By the time it takes us to turn, it might already be too late." Angry, the Captain shot her a look.

"This is _my_ ship Captain Dubos! You will follow _my_ orders! Understood!?" And with that, he was back to ordering his crew around. Knowing that returning fire was futile, Eliza took matters into her own hands. Shoving the Captain aside, Eliza took control of the comm system.

"This is Captain Eliza Dubos! We've been hit, and we are in serious danger of going down! Abandon ship, I repeat, abandon ship!" Ripping her off the comm system, the Captain of the ship was furious.

"Just because you're rank is that of a Captain, does not make you Captain of this ship! I will have you court-martialed! Fo-" Another jolt had interrupted him.

"Sir, we've been hit again! The engines have lost power, we're going down!" Angry that the Captain had jeopardized the lives of so many, Eliza got on the comm system one last time.

"Everyone, brace yourselves for impact!" Feeling that the ship was sinking towards the ground, Eliza had rushed to find something to hold onto.

* * *

As I was cutting my way through the hordes of Grimm, I spotted a team of Hunters. They were fending off a large amount of Grimm that were after the people behind them. As much as I didn't want to help a team of Huntsmen, I didn't want the people behind them to die due to their incompetence. Slipping in and out of the shadows, I sliced through Beowolves, Ursa and even a few Boarbatusks. When everything was said and done, the people ran off.

"Umbra?' Looking over to the team of Hunters, I recognized at least three of them. Silver, Steel and Iron. The fourth person I had never seen before. Frowning, I didn't stick around. Running off, I was surprised when I was attacked by some of the robots that Atlas had brought along. Was I on some shoot to kill list or something? No, that wasn't it. They were attacking people too now. Dammit. This had to be Cinders doing. On top of the Grimm, now I had some tin cans to worry about as well.

After fighting for so long, I was starting to get tired. I saved who I could. If these Hunters really did care about people like they said, then they could take it from here. As I was getting ready to leave, a familiar voice spoke out to me.

"Umbra, I'm glad to see you here." It was Damian. He was alone however, his friends were no where to be seen. "With your help, saving Beacon just might be possible." That wasn't going to happen. Sheathing my sword, I walked up to him.

"Are you kidding Damian? Take a look around you. It's bad. Real bad… It looks just like-" Not letting me finish, Damian cut me off.

"Like Mt. Glenn?" It was like he read my mind. "It might seem like it, but trust me. Mt. Glenn was much worse." Walking over to me, he put his hand on my shoulder. "It's not too late Umbra. If we work together, we can prevent what happened at Mt. Glenn from happening here." I was conflicted. As much as I wanted to prevent another Mt. Glenn, I knew this was my only chance to escape. Just because I helped defend the school didn't mean they would let me walk free for doing so. While I was thinking, Lexi and Alfred had showed up. Shrugging him off, I backed up a little.

"I'm… I'm sorry Damian. It's too late. Either way, I still have business in Atlas. This is my only chance." Angry, Lexi stomped forward.

"You coward! Don't you dare run away fro-" Putting his hand out in front of Lexi, Damian stopped her.

"That's enough Lexi. It's his choice." Lowering his hand, Lexi glared at me from underneath her hood. "I just hope that whatever is waiting for you in Atlas Umbra... Is worth it." With that said, the three of them ran off to help those still in danger. Clenching my hands into fists, I watched them leave. After a few seconds, I ran. With my Semblance, I could escape into the Emerald Forest. Doing what I did, I doubt that I was welcomed in Cinders group anymore. Not that I wanted anything to do with them anymore. Killing Huntsmen was one thing, but going after those that couldn't defend themselves…

Running towards the Emerald Forest, I saw the members of Team BGND fighting off a swarm of Grimm. They could handle themselves. Not that I cared what happened to them in the first place. Rounding the school, I heard a thunderous noise above me. Then, I saw it's shadow. Looking up, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Something that I had once thought was only a dumb fairly tale. Something that lived outside the realms of reality. Flying over me, was a Wyvern. I couldn't believe it. I was looking at a real life Wyvern.

"Amazing. Isn't it?" Hearing someone talk to me however, turned my disbelief into fear. Looking at the source of the voice, I trembled. It was impossible. There was no way. First the Wyvern and now this? Had I actually died during that mission? "You're so happy to see me you're speechless. That makes me so happy Umbra." With his hands out wide, the person walking towards me was… It was… "Come on Umbra, why don't you come give your old man a hug, huh?" No… Unsheathing Shadow Rose, I pointed it towards him.

"You're… You're not… It's not…" Stopping in his tracks, Hector's grin widened.

"Come on Umbra, speak up. Quit your stuttering and spit it out already." Damn it. Damn it all!

"I killed you! You…" Then it hit me. My fear turned into anger. "No. You aren't him. Why don't you show yourself, I know it's you Emerald!" She was using her Semblance and was trying to scare me. It was punishment for my betrayal. Laughing, he continued walking towards me.

"You think I'm Emerald huh? Well, sorry to disappoint you Umbra. But it really is me." Lies. I know Hector was dead.

"Quit lying! I don't believe you." Getting into my stance, I prepared myself. Sighing, Hector… or his illusion… reached for his weapon.

"Very well. I guess I'll just have to show you how real I am." In a flash, he was right in front of me. Having just enough time to block, his attack sent me flying through the wall behind me. Coughing, I stood up. Now I was standing inside someone's dorm room. With all the dust, I couldn't see my attacker. Then, I saw the sword they were carrying ignite. Seeing this, my fear had returned. From inside my body, I felt the icy claw of fear grip my heart. I knew only one person who used such a weapon. Dodging out of the way, he sent a blast of fire towards me. Where there was once a door, only a hole remained.

Before he could send another, I fled through the door. Not long after, he was on me. His speed was on another level. Blocking the attack sent my way, I skidded down the hallway. Not only was he fast, he was strong. All those times we trained together, he was holding back far more then I had thought.

"Now Umbra. Cinder isn't too happy with what you did. But don't worry. I talked to her for you. She won't punish you _too_ badly if you come back with me. So come on. What do you say we get out of here, huh?" I already didn't want to work with them, but knowing they were allies with Hector… It made me sick I even agreed to help them. While I was terrified, I stood my ground. Hands shaking, I got into my stance. Sighing, Hector did the same. "Come on Umbra. You're a smart kid. Just make this easy on yourself." The two of us stood in the same stance, waiting for the other to make the first move. The fire from the dorm room was now slowly escaping out into the hall.

Charging forward, I made the first move. Swinging downward, he easily deflected my attack. Bringing Shadow Rose back around, I tried attacking again but only got the same result. Each attack I threw at him he would just deflect. He didn't even bother to attack. Sending a slash towards his midsection, he blocked the blow.

"You've learned some since I was gone. You're still not as good as me, but then again, I never expected you to be." Kicking me back, he lit his sword Decimation on fire. "Alright Umbra. You've had your fun. It's my turn now." Throwing my guard up, I tried to block the downward strike he sent towards me. His attack instantly broke my guard, and before I could attempt to fight back, he slashed at me and sent flying backwards into the lobby of the building we were in. Rolling along the ground, I tried to stop myself. When I did manage to stop, I didn't waste anytime in getting up. With a smug look on his face, Hector walked through the doors I flew through.

"Now, just to make sure you don't try running away…" Aiming his sword high, he sent a blast towards the ceiling above the exit. "Ahh. Gotta love Eliza's handy work. She really is a whiz when it comes to Dust." No matter how much I tried, I couldn't stop shaking. Fear had taken hold of my body. It was difficult to even move. "This can all be over if you just come with me Umbra." He held his free hand out to me. "Come on." Move. I have to move! Do something already! "Clocks ticking Umbra." I know… I know there was no way I could win this fight. Accepting his invitation was the only way I would get out of this alive. Gripping Shadow Rose tight, I knew I had to…

"Screw you, and screw your friends!" I had to fight him. I had to at least try. If I didn't, then what was even the point of anything I had done up until now? Mark's death would have been for absolutely nothing! Frowning, Hector lowered his arm.

"Fine. If that's what you want…" Steeling myself, I shoved my fear down. No matter how scared I was, I had to try. Rushing forward, we traded blows. I did my best to keep up with him. The difference in our skill was obvious. For every blow I managed to land, he had five more. Then, he managed to break my guard yet again. For a second, I didn't even know what had happened. But then the pain kicked in. Looking at my left arm, I could see that it was missing. With a scream I fell to my knees. All that was left of my arm was a stub.

"I tried Umbra. I really did." Walking behind me, he kicked me towards the ground. "But I guess in the end, you were just too weak. In more ways then one." Walking back into my field of view, he crouched down over me. "You know what… I'll give you one more chance." Grabbing Shadow Rose, he put it down a ways in front of me. "If you can get up, grab your weapon and wield it… I'll leave you alone. I won't bother you anymore." Crossing his arms, he stood next to my weapon.

Letting go of the stub that was once my arm, I used my only remaining arm to crawl. Everything hurt. "Come on Umbra. You can do it. Get up." He walked over to me. "It's right there. It's _sooo_ close." The bastard… "Enough playing Umbra. Get up." After saying that, he nudged me with his boot. "If you don't get up, you'll die here." I couldn't let him… "If you don't get up, I'll kill the women who took care of you." Mary… Cherry… How did he… He kicked me. "Get up Umbra."He can't… He kicked me harder. "Get. Up. Umbra." He won't… "Get up already!" I won't let… "Get up Umbra!" No… " _Get up!_ " He stomped on my back. I couldn't… " _GET THE FUCK UP UMBRA!_ " I didn't have any energy left. Shadow Rose was so close. I tried stretching my hand out, but only my fingertips could brush against it. It was just out of reach.

"We're done here…" Picking up Shadow Rose, he stabbed it into the ground in front of me. "Since you're so weak, I'll leave you to die just as you thought you did to me." I could see my reflection in the blade. "Goodbye Umbra. Say hello to your mother for me when you see her." Walking away, he left me alone. I was too focused on our battle to notice, but the fire was spreading. It had engulfed most of the lobby. Not that it mattered now. Nothing did. I didn't even have the strength to get up. There was no way out for me. All I could do was think about how I had failed. It wasn't just my mother I had failed either. So many people… Mark could be considered one of those people. If he was serious about Mary and Cherry, then they could be counted as well… I felt tears roll down my face. It wasn't fair. He was supposed to be dead. How? How did he survive!?

The more I thought, the angrier I got. Was this really how it was going to end? I… I couldn't let it… No. I wouldn't let it. I _wouldn't_ let him win. Even if it cost me my own life, I _would_ kill him. For real this time. Putting ever last ounce of my energy into it this time, I grabbed onto Shadow Rose and pulled myself up. It took a few tried, but I eventually managed. Using Shadow Rose to steady myself, I looked around. There was fire everywhere, it didn't leave me with many options. Not to mention, Hector had blocked off the entrance. Taking my chances, I went back down the hall we had come from. Even though it was covered in flames, the hole he had made was the only exit I knew of.

I stumbled my way down the halls of Beacon, and I finally arrived at the dorm room I had flown in from. Just as I thought, the hole was still there. I would still have to lift myself over a small bit of wall though. Almost falling on my back a few times, I finally managed to tumble out into the fresh air. Relief washed over me. But then I remembered I was only halfway done. There was no doubt about it in my mind. Those bastards would find a way to frame me. Make it look like I was a part of the invasion. If I stayed here, I would be taken to prison for sure. Using the wall to help me stand, I had to come up with an escape. My Aura was gone, so my Semblance was now out of the question. All of the Bullheads would be busy evacuating people, and there was bound to be at least a few Huntsmen guarding them. There was only one thing that I could think of… The water surrounding Beacon.

It was a long shot, but it was the only option I had. Making my way towards the edge of Beacon, I peered over. Memories of that night replayed in my mind. It was just like when she… Closing my eyes, I took a few deep breaths. It was this. Or prison. Only one of them, however, would allow me to chase after Eliza and Hector. Taking one last look, I jumped. I wasn't going to let him get away with this…


	17. Promissum (Ultra Repris)

Not even half way down, I started to regret my decision of jumping. Trying to straighten out my body, I was getting ready to hit the water. Was this really the best option? Before I could think on it any longer I had hit the water. Sinking down, I did my best to reach the surface. With only one arm, there wasn't much I could do. Kicking my legs frantically I only sunk deeper into the water. Into the inky darkness below. Panic had set in and I reached up towards the surface of the water. What a joke. I survived an encounter with Hector, only to drown to death. It was pathetic.

* * *

Fluttering her eyes open, Eliza woke up. Feeling a sharp pain in her arm she looked down. In her arm was a large shard of glass. Without the ability to stop the bleeding, pulling it out now would be stupid. Using the debris around her to stand up, her entire body was sore. Looking around all she saw was death. Sitting against the wall multiple shards of glass were sticking out of the Captain's chest. In fact, glass was scattered all over the room. It wasn't short of a miracle that she was still alive.

Limping out of the room, Eliza was looking for any survivors. Once she collected those that had survived, they would head to Vale. If it was even still standing that was… Walking down the halls of the ship there was an eerie silence. The only sounds were that of the creaking and groaning of the ship. Every now and then, an electronic would spark or there would be a small fire crackling. Eliza couldn't believe that what she was going through was real. She couldn't believe that one of their own ships could have turned against them. Perking up, Eliza heard a new sound. Somewhere nearby, it sounded like someone was calling for help.

"Heyyyy! Is there anyone there! I'm pinned and I can't move!" Finding the room where the yelling was coming from, Eliza saw that someone was indeed pinned. The ceiling above them had collapsed, and debris was keeping them from getting up. Upon seeing this, Eliza rushed over to help.

"Relax soldier, I'm Captain Eliza Dubos, I'll help you up." Stopping her struggling, the soldier looked up at Eliza with wide blue eyes.

"Captain Dubos? You…" The look she gave to Eliza was one of admiration. "Ah, excuse me. I'm Miyuki Ritsuko, Petty Officer Second Class." The young faunus had long white hair and fox ears to match. Kneeling down next to her, Eliza got her one good arm in position to help lift. After realizing that that wouldn't be enough, she used both arms. It hurt, but with their combined strength, they were able to lift the debris enough for Miyuki to escape. As soon as she stood up though, she fell against the wall.

"Captain, I don't think I'll be able to walk." Walking over to Miyuki, the Captain slung the faunus girls arms over her good shoulder.

"You can use me as support. Even if I have to carry you, we're both making out of here. That's an order soldier." Exiting the room, the two of them limped down the corridors of the downed ship. The closer they got to the infirmary the more survivors they ran into. When they entered the infirmary they were met with people rushing around to meet the high demand for medical help.

"Well, it's better then I had expected." Adjusting her grip on Miyuki, Eliza scanned the room. "Is there anyone that can take a look this soldier here!? At least one of her legs have been broken!" Running over, one of the doctors took Miyuki off her hands. Things weren't as hopeless as Eliza had expected.

"Ma'am, over here! I'm not a doctor but I have some medical knowledge." Turning to the voice, Eliza could see a soldier rushing towards her. "Let me help with that arm of yours." Upon reaching her, she could see that he had gauze and various other medical supplies.

"Thank you soldier, the faster I can get this glass out of me, the better." Giving him her arm, Eliza prepared herself. Grabbing onto the shard of glass the soldier pulled the shard out smoothly. He didn't want to risk breaking it. When it was out, he wrapped the gauze around her wound.

"Alright, you should be good ma'am. Just keep pressure on it to reduce the bleeding." Doing as she was told, Eliza left the room. The doctors needed room to treat others who were in worse condition then she was. If rescue didn't come soon, a lot of people would die here. Some of those injuries that she saw would need to be treated in an actual hospital. Checking her scroll, she noticed that she wasn't able to reach anyone. The tower must have been damaged. If that was the case, that meant there was no way to contact anyone for help. The emergency lights were running, so there was no power remaining on the ship.

Whoever was remaining in the air was probably looking for survivors. Because of the size of the ship they were on, there was no way they could be missed. What it all boiled down to, was time. Knowing that she would have to do something, Eliza went back to the command room. Once there, she started rummaging through different storage areas. Eventually she found what she was looking for. A flare gun. With this, she could signal for help. With flare gun in hand, Eliza hurried to the closest and safest exit she could think of. She wanted to be as low to the ground as possible when she got off the ship.

Reaching the hanger, it was a mess. Bullheads were destroyed and equipment was thrown everywhere. Leaving through one of the destroyed hanger doors, it was a short drop to the ground. Finding an opening in the trees, Eliza pointed the flare gun up and fired. Now it would only be a matter of time. Hearing a noise off to her right, there was a Beowolf charging towards her. Unsheathing her dagger, she quickly hit a small button under the hilt. Rigging the dagger with a combination of Fire, Electric and Gravity Dust, her dagger turned into a sword. With her knowledge in Dust, most people thought her job as a soldier was a waste. But she begged to differ. In a lab, she wouldn't be able to help people the way she did.

At the last second, she used her Dust sword to slice the Beowolf in two. Then, from out of the forest, more Grimm were rushing her position. All of the pain and negative emotions from the crash must have drawn them in. If a rescue crew rolled up with how many Grimm were around, they wouldn't last. If she didn't do something, no one would be getting out of this alive. It was near suicidal, but Eliza had a plan. Using her Semblance, she would draw all the Grimm away from the crash site and towards her. That way those who needed medical attention would get it.

Eliza's Dust sword allowed her to cut through the tough armor of most Grimm with ease. The real challenge would be having the stamina to fight off so many Grimm. While her Aura was now back, it had only just returned. There wasn't much to spare. If she were to get overwhelmed, it would be over in an instant.

While running back to gain distance between herself and the ship, Eliza was forced to fight along the way. Once her Semblance was activated, the Grimm became more lively. Her negative emotions were amplified greatly, so it wasn't much of a surprise that they'd be drawn to her like a magnet. Slicing through more and more Grimm, she was determined to keep them away from the ship. Almost running off of a cliff, she was backed into a corner. Turning around she killed the Beowolves that had caught up to her. Hitting the second switch under the hilt of her blade, a second stream of Dust shot out of the other end. Now, she had a dual blade.

Standing her ground, Eliza watched as the rest of the Grimm had caught up. Beowolves, Boarbatusks, Ursa, even a few Beringel's and Death Stalkers could be seen. With how things looked, Eliza knew she wasn't surviving. But she had to fight. She had to survive for as long as she could. If she didn't, countless others would lose their lives as well. Charging forward, she fought on. Cutting through Grimm after Grimm. After cutting through a few Beowolves, she came face to face with a Beringel. Sliding under its fist, she dodged it's attack. Slicing off its leg as she went by, she stabbed it in the back after standing up. With each Grimm she killed, there were three more to take it's place. As she fought, the more tired she got. Exhaustion was setting in. She had no choice to push herself.

Getting completely surrounded she was now running on fumes. Eliza barely had enough energy to hold her stance. By the look of it, the Grimm knew that too. Slowly advancing, they were all ready to pounce on their prey. Lowering her head, Eliza accepted her fate. Just as she was ready to die, the unexpected happened. The sound of a Bullhead caught her attention. Looking up, she saw as the doors opened, and dropping to the ground was Specialist Schnee.

"You look as though you could use some help. We saw the flare, as I speak, the crew are being rescued." When the Specialist had finished, General Ironwood had dropped down next to her.

"Captain Dubos, it's good to see that you survived. Now, why don't you step back? You deserve a break. Me and Specialist Schnee will take things from here." Letting out a sigh of relief, Eliza had a smile on her face. Her plan had worked, and rescue had come. Not just that, but she had lived as well. Turning off her both her Semblance and her Dust sword, she sheathed her dagger. Doing as she was told, Eliza watched as General Ironwood gunned down the surrounding Grimm while Specialist Schnee sliced through the ones he left for her.

* * *

After the night they had, Damian's group was beat. During their last fight, Lexi had lost her Aura and had to be carried by Alfred. Along the way, she had fallen asleep. They weren't quite done yet however, there was still one more person they had to help. When they had met up with Umbra, Damian was able to touch his shoulder. This allowed him to use his Semblance. Looking into his near future, he had seen what happened. Both if him and his friends intervened and if they let him go alone. As things were now, there was no beating Hector. It angered Damian, but it wasn't something he could control. Nor was it his fight anymore.

"This is the spot Alfred. Feel free to put Lexi down nearby." Reaching a specific formation of rock, Damian took his cloak off. Putting Lexi down, Alfred took off his cloak as well to give to his sister as a blanket. Underneath, they both wore matching outfits. It was meant to keep things light while they traveled. "I'll be back shortly. Once everyone is rested, we can move." Giving Damian a double thumbs up, Alfred gave the best smile he could managed. Everyone was tired. Turning towards the water, Damian dived in. His final rescue mission had commenced.

* * *

Sheathing Solar Eclipse, I looked around. It was easy to tell who fought who. While all of the people that Team RWBY had taken on where injured or incapacitated, all of my victims were laying in a pool of their own blood. Looking at one of the terrorists that I had slit the neck of, I started shaking. Inching my way towards him, I noticed that it wasn't really a member of the White Fang. Clutching his neck to stop the bleeding, was Mark. When I got close, he shot his arm out and grabbed my leg. Stumbling back, I fell over.

"Um...bra… Um...bra…" As he tried to speak, it mostly came out as gurgles. Blood splattering as he did. It was the same nightmare I had been having every night since the docks. I knew it was a nightmare, but I could never wake myself up. "He..lp… me… Um...bra…" Trying to kick him away, I couldn't do it. It was like he had an iron grip on me. "Why… di...d… yo...u…" Screaming in fear, this was usually the part where I woke up. But this time, it was different. I couldn't wake up. Why didn't I wake up?

Managing to finally free myself from Marks grip, I got up and ran. No matter how fast I ran, it felt like I was getting nowhere. I was running in slow motion while everything else moved at normal speeds. Panicking even more I could feel my heart beating in my chest. From behind me, I could hear laughter. Turning my head I saw Hector standing there. He was holding up Mark so that he was standing on his feet. The life had drained from his eyes.

"See Umbra? We aren't so different. We both kill to advance our own goals." Dropping him to the ground, Hector started walking towards me. Backing up, I tripped over my own feet. Instead of hitting the hard pavement like I expected, I landed with a splash. In an instant, Hector was on me. Wrapping his hands around my neck, he submerged me underwater. No. No that wasn't quite right. It wasn't water I was in, but blood. We were no longer at the docks. Now, we were in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but crimson surrounded us.

Kicking my legs and flailing my arms, I desperately tried to break free. Hector was too strong, nothing I did worked. Not able to breathe I slowly drowned in the blood. As time went on it became more and more black, my vision was fading.

* * *

Coughing and sputtering, I shot up. Taking panicked breaths I looked around. Hector was nowhere to be seen, instead, I saw three cloaked figures. Touching my face, it took me a minute to realize I was missing an arm. Already, I had forgotten. The nightmare had made me forget.

"Welcome back, Umbra. Are you okay?" Damian was the first to speak to me.

"That's the second time we saved your ass! You're lucky too, considering that stunt you pulled back at Beacon." Giving Lexi a gentle nudge, she shot Alfred a look.

"I'm… fine. Thank you." To be honest, I wasn't really. Memories of Beacon started flooding back to me. It was a miracle that I had managed to not only survive an encounter with Hector, but my fall into the water as well. I should be dead. Remembering Hector, my anger started to bubble. He survived. Not only that, but he was friends with the people I had almost allied myself with. Could they be the same people that had been responsible for Mt. Glenn? Thinking about that made me even angrier. I had almost done the same exact thing as that bastard. If I had gone through with it… Balling my hand into a fist, I slammed it down onto the dirt.

"Umbra. I can understand that you're angry, but you have to remain calm. Letting your emotions loose will only attract the Grimm. And in your current condition, I don't think you'd be able to fight back." Damian was right. Getting angry now wouldn't do anything. Collecting myself, I stood up. If Hector was still alive, that just meant I would have to kill him for real next time. I had no way of finding him, so for now I would focus my efforts on Eliza. At least with her, I knew where to look. But with only one arm, my odds of winning against her went down significantly. It didn't matter. If I couldn't win against her, what did I think I was going to do to Hector? Not only was he a skilled Huntsman, but he was the one that trained me. He knew exactly how I fought. Checking to make sure I had all my things, I started walking in the direction where my journey had first started. It was back to square one.

"Umbra, wait. Instead of going alone, why don't you let us travel with you?" It was Damian who had suggested the idea. They didn't seem like bad people, and I would be traveling with them in the future anyway, so I didn't see anything wrong with it.

"Why not? Just know that if you can't keep up with me, I will leave you behind." Nodding his head, the three of them started following me. It was going to be a long journey, but I had already completed the first half once. Doing it again wouldn't be much of a problem. Once I had taken care of Eliza, the only one left would be Hector. That night, my emotions had gotten in the way. I should have been smarter. I should have made sure. It was too late now. The only thing I could do, was keep moving forward.


	18. Convictions

Starting over was never a fun thing for most people. In this case however, I didn't feel too bad. Because of what happened at Beacon I was certain no one would be after me. Most people would just write me off as dead. The only thing that really made me nervous was Hector and his friends. Thanks to Hector, they knew a lot about me. With him on their side, I didn't know if I'd really stand a chance against any of them. Especially Emerald and Mercury. As much as I wanted pay back, there was just no way I could find any of them. Even if I did manage to find them I'd probably just get killed. Having just one arm now, I wasn't feeling all that confident.

Most of the villages we passed through near Beacon were destroyed. Some were still standing, but most were gone. Once the four of us crossed the mountain things got better. Most of them took some form of damage, but unlike before at least they were still standing. Passing through one of the destroyed villages we watched as people were running around trying to put things back to normal. Spotting us, one of the villagers ran up to us.

"Hey! You four! You look like Huntsmen, please, you have to help!" Grabbing me by my torn up jacket, I shoved him off of me. Didn't this guy ever hear of personal space?

"Calm down sir. What is it you need help with?" Damian stepped forward to take control of the situation.

"There's… there's a monster of a Grimm near here! It's unlike anything we've ever seen! It's dragged a few people off somewhere deep into the forest! No one's seen them since! Please! You have to kill it!" Bullshit. Grimm didn't drag people off. I didn't have time for lies. Starting to walk off, Damian put a hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"Umbra, wait." Shrugging him off, I turned to face him. "We should hear him out. People are hurting enough already." Looking at the terrified man, I sighed. I really didn't have time for this shit. But… I did need practice. Now that I only had one arm, I _would_ need to find a new fighting style.

"Fine. Let's get this over with." Smiling, the man thanked us over and over again.

"It takes people that way, I don't know exactly where it goes though!" The man pointed off into a direction. That's all we had to go on. We didn't know where it lived, what it looked like or what it was capable of. In the end, it was just a Grimm. No matter what it was the four of us could handle it. Walking off, we had a Grimm to kill.

"You know, that guy was really scared. How bad do you think this Grimm is gonna be?" Lexi seemed nervous.

"What. Are you scared? If you don't want to do this, just turn back." Huffing, Lexi pulled her hood down and caught up to me.

"I am not scared! I just… want to know what we're walking into is all." Real convincing.

"Either way, you need to relax Lexi. You need a calm mind when entering combat. Do you remember what happened back at Beacon?" Averting her gaze, she refused to look at anyone.

"Yeah…" Putting her hood back up, the four of us kept walking. It was a long walk, but we eventually reached a possible location. There was a giant opening to a cave. Without a light source, I wouldn't be able to fight in there.

"Umbra. Wait here. Alfred, Lexi and I will draw out the Grimm." Damian knew as well. While I could just use my Semblance, I wasn't sure what we were up against. If this thing was as bad as that guy said, I needed to be able to see. Hit and run tactics are only useful when I know what I'm fighting. Putting my hand into my pocket, I wouldn't be able to argue here.

"Don't keep me waiting. Or I might just leave you behind." Leaning up against a nearby tree, it was up to them now.

* * *

"You bett-" Cutting off Lexi, Damian put a hand on her shoulder. Crossing her arms, she took a deep breath. Taking the lead, Damian started walking towards the cave. Inside it was just like any other cave. The sound of dripping water could be heard in the distance.

"So, what do you think is in here D?" Alfred walked up to Damian's left side.

"Honestly, I'm not certain. I tried using my Semblance on Umbra to see, but he shrugged me off too quickly." All that Damian was able to see was there walk to the cave and Umbra waiting for them outside.

"That sucks. Like Lexi said, it would be nice to know what were walking up on." Continuing deeper into the cave system, they started to hear more noises in the distance. Stopping in his tracks, Alfred had run into something. "What the… Uh. Damian. Is this…" Walking up to Alfred, Damian saw what he had run into. Scanning their surroundings, he was now on high alert.

"Both of you. Stay close." The deeper they got, the more they found. That person who had told them about the Grimm was smart not to chase after it. He only would have died.

"Is someone there?" Sitting in a corner, a person was hiding. "If someone's there, say something." Taking a quick look around, Damian turned his attention back to the person.

"Don't worry. Me and my friends are going to get you out of here. Just stay quiet." Standing up, the person hurried over to where he heard Damian's voice.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! I've been stuck here for days! I barely managed to escape th-" Interrupting him was a skittering noise that came from nearby. "No… No! It's here!" Drawing their weapons, Damian and his friends turned to face the threat. Upon seeing what it was however, Damian felt a chill run down his spine.

"Everyone, run!" In the enclosed space, there was no way they could win.

* * *

Leaning up against the tree, I had taken the lighter I stole out of my pocket. Flipping it open and closed I was starting to get bored. Damian and his friends were taking too long. The only thing that could mean was that there really wasn't anything from the start. That asshole, it was nothing more then a stupid prank. Sighing, I put the lighter away and pushed off the tree. Just as I was getting ready to leave, I heard something from the cave. Running out was Damian, Alfred and Lexi. Tripping behind them was some guy. So, it was true after all? As he was getting up, something shot out from the darkness of the cave and pierced his chest.

Raising him up into the air, he was still alive. Grabbing at the thing that had pierced his chest he was soon tossed aside to bleed to death. Matching limbs reached around the entrance of the cave and pulled itself out. Reaching for Shadow Rose, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There was just no way…

"Damian, is that…" Lexi was shaking. She was scared. To be honest, I didn't blame her. While I was shaking as well, it was a mixture of both fear and excitement though. Standing before us, was a Broodmother. Not just any Broodmother either. This one was a giant. The Empress. Spewing out from the cave behind her were all of her children. All of them were running at full speed on their eight legs.

"Alfred, Lexi! Deal with the smaller ones, me and Umbra will handle the Empress!" Unsheathing Shadow Rose, I flanked the right side of the Empress while Damian flanked the left. Just like the Wyvern, Broodmothers were thought to only be legend. Something parents told their children about so they wouldn't wander off too far. But yet, here it was. Standing right in front of me.

It's limbs were it's weak point, but it's legs were sharp. If the legends were true, it's legs were sharp enough to pierce Aura. As much as I wanted to put that to the test, I also didn't want to die just yet. By now, my fear was overtaken with excitement. I was one of the few people lucky enough to fight with a Broodmother.

Dodging a jab aimed at me, her leg pierced the dirt. Slashing at her leg, she gave me an opening. While my slash connected, I wasn't able to fully slice off the limb. Now injured she sped forward. Both Damian and I had to jump back in order to not get trampled on. Following her we chased the Empress into the forest. Now in the shadows of the forest I could truly shine. Leaving Damian in the dust I slipped into the shadows and climbed onto her back. Stabbing the Empress in the back I tried to end the fight quickly. What I didn't expect however was to be thrown off it's back. Using my Semblance I caught myself.

"Careful Umbra! This isn't a fight that can be won with brute force!" He was oddly on edge. Was he scared? With Shadow Rose stuck in the Empress's back, I used my Semblance to get it back. Grabbing Shadow Rose, I pulled it out of her back before she could fling me off again. Landing next to Damian the two of us took our respective stances. Well, I went to get into my stance before remembering that I wouldn't be able to use it anymore. Pointing Shadow Rose towards the ground, I would have to come up with a new fighting style.

Dodging left while Damian went right, the Empress tried to pierce us. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about anything other then the fight at hand. Ignoring what Damian had said, I rushed forward again. All I needed to do was use my Semblance to get one good hit in. Appearing above the Empress, I was going in for the killing blow. One stab to the head, and I'd take her down. Her speed was something I didn't take into account. Moving faster then I expected, she swatted me out of the air. Bringing one of her legs down to impale me, Damian swooped in cut the limb off. Screeching in pain she stumbled back.

"Get up Umbra, start taking this seriously or we're all dead!" Growling I stood up and faced the Empress. It didn't take her long to learn how to stand with only seven legs. When she regained her composure, she hissed angrily at us. Soon enough my anger was gone. It was amazing how fast she was able to adapt. If only I still had that stupid scroll. I could take a video, or write notes. Without proper proof though, no one would ever believe what I saw anyway.

"Damian, I have a plan. You might not like it though. I'm going to act as bait. When she's distracted, take out her legs. As long as I have my Semblance I should be fine. Just focus on taking out the legs." Before he could say anything, I charged forward. Catching the Empresses attention, I slipped into the shadows when she went to attack. Appearing a little bit away from where she struck, I made sure to slash low to at least keep her attention. While she was distracted with me, Damian once again moved in to lop off a leg. Just like last time, she wasn't too pleased. With me acting as bait, the two of us were able to take off at least three more legs. She eventually caught on to what we were doing, but by then it was too late.

"Are you ready to finish this Umbra?" I really wanted to know more about this type of Grimm, but I still had a journey to finish.

"I've been ready. All this time I've been waiting on you." Giving him a quick glance, he didn't flinch. Leaving Damian behind I rushed head first towards the Empress. Jumping up to pierce her head, I vanished right before she could impale me. Then, jumping over her missed attack, Damian used a helm breaker to split her head in two. Reappearing behind Damian I watched as the Empress dissipated. It was bittersweet to say the least. Killing such a rare Grimm before I fully knew what she was capable of didn't feel right. I wanted to know more about it. Sheathing Shadow Rose I walked up to Damian.

"Ready to go see if your friends survived?" Turning to face me, he didn't say a word. Walking off in the direction of the cave I followed him. When we got back to the entrance of the cave we could see that Alfred and Lexi were fine. A little tired maybe, but fine. Laying sprawled out on the ground Alfred was looking up at the clouds. Bending over to catch her breath Lexi had pulled her hood back down.

"The Empress has been taken care of. Are you two all right?" The siblings looked over to us. From where he was Alfred gave us a thumbs up. Lexi pushed off her knees and stood up.

"Just fine. That wasn't anything. I could do a mile run still." Putting her hands on her hips she stood up straight. It didn't last long however and she went back to trying to catch her breath. "Okay. All jokes aside, can we rest?"

After taking an hour break all four of us were ready to start moving again. We told the village about the cave and how we dealt with the Grimm. Though of course we left out the part where we fought a Broodmother. If they wanted to go look for those that were missing, they were free to do so now. With the threat taken care of the village was safe now. I was finally able to continue on to Atlas. Once there, I planned on parting ways with Damian and his group. They probably wouldn't want any part in what I was going to do. If anything, they'd probably try to stop me.

Continuing with the long journey, I couldn't stop thinking about both the Wyvern I had seen at Beacon and the Empress I had fought. When I was a child, the Wyvern was nothing more then a fantasy. Something my mother would tell me stories about. Now. I had seen one with my own eyes. I never got to fight it, but at the very least I had seen it. As for the Empress, it was on the same level as a Wyvern. Both were so rare they were thought to be non-existent. Seeing the two of them within a weeks time, I couldn't believe my luck. Maybe it balanced itself out after my run in with Hector.

Strolling through yet another village, this was the last one before reaching the ocean. Soon enough we'd be on our way to Solitas. Unlike the previous villages we had been through, this one was hit pretty hard. There were still survivors, but things didn't look the best here. Slowly making our way through the village, I could see a team of Huntsmen in front of us. Team BGND. They were making their way towards us.

"Umbra? Is that you?" Spotting me, Barry walked over. He didn't seem like his usual self. His smile looked forced. "Man. I thought you died at Beacon. We didn't see you anywhere." Stopping right in front of me, he put his left hand on my shoulder. "That really would have sucked. Because…" In a flash, he had shoved me back and stole Lunar Eclipse. While Barry put my own weapons blade to my neck, everyone on both sides went for their weapons. "You've gotta pay for what you did!"

"From the very first day you stepped foot on Beacon, I knew about you." Gripping my shirt collar he put Lunar Eclipse up to my neck harder. My Aura was starting to drain. "Before I go any farther, I should tell you my full name. Just so you know what this is about. My name, is Barry Knox! Son of Mark Knox!" Hearing this, my heart rate quickened. "You're exactly like your father, ya know that!? You're both nothing but cowards!"

Not only did my nightmare return to me. _"See Umbra? We aren't so different. We both kill to advance our own goals."_ But so did what Silver had said to me after cornering me at Pharos. _"..._ _You and your dad are nothing but cowardly traitors."_ No matter how much I tried, I really was like him. Whenever I tried to do something good it went to shit. In order to avenge my mother, I had killed someone's father. All these people I helped along the way didn't mean anything, as the Grimm had done to waste with them in the end. I couldn't save anyone. _"You can't help me Umbra…"_

"Before I kill you, I want you to tell me why you killed my father." Closing my eyes, I looked away from Barry. There wasn't anything I could say to him. "Well!? Why did you do it!" Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes.

"I killed Mark because… He was trying to stop me." Growling, Barry pressed the blade even tighter. Soon enough, he would be drawing blood. "The night it happened, I was angry. I wasn't thinking straight. My father had told me the truth to what happened at Mt. Glenn. About Hunters." If this was how I was going to die, I would at least let him know the truth as well. "He told me… There is no such thing as hero's. That everyone in this world is out for themselves. After learning how he and the rest of Team SHDE had injured my mother and put her in the hospital, I got angry."

"Knocking him unconscious, I burned the house down to erase any memories of him. Lot of good that did… Once I thought that he was dead, I went after my next closest target. Danial Lattke. In order to find him, I… had Mark help me." Closing my eyes again, I prepared myself for the next part. "He was going to meet up with Danial at a local bar. When we got to him, I lured the bastard outside. I didn't want Mark to follow us, but he did. When I tried to kill Danial, Mark stepped in. He grabbed my arm and stopped me from attacking Danial. Since I was so angry I just… shrugged him off."

"In the end, I used too much force. Before I knew what was going on, he… He was gone. You might not believe me, but I knew your father. He used to watch me when my parents were on missions. So when I realized that I had killed him… I…" Only slightly, the pressure of the blade had loosened on my neck. Opening my eyes, I looked at Barry. "It's my biggest mistake. One that's stuck with me since. Ever since it happened I haven't been eating or sleeping right. Recently, I haven't been able to sleep without having nightmares." My sleeping and eating habits… I chalked them up to the stress from my journey. But I knew the real reason now.

"If you want to kill me Barry, I won't fight it. You have every right to kill me. But. If you do kill me, promise me something." Grabbing his arm, I hardened my gaze. "Two members of Team SHDE are still alive. Eliza Dubos, and Hector Hart. Please. Find them… and kill them. Avenge not only my mother, but the people of Mt. Glenn. And that sword you're holding up to my neck? Take care of it like you would an infant. It means more to me than my own life." Lowering my head, I closed my eyes and waited for him to end my life. After awhile, nothing happened. Looking back up, I watched as Barry removed Lunar Eclipse from my neck.

"Shit." Stepping back, he put his free hand on his head. "SHIT!" Walking back up to me, he put Lunar Eclipse back into it's sheathe. "I can't kill someone that wants to die. Not only that, it's not what my mother would have wanted." Stepping back towards his friends, everyone finally lowered their weapons. However, the tension remained. "You can kill those bastards yourself." Taking a quick look back at Damian and the others, they gave me a nod. Returning it, we started walking. As we passed Team BGND, Barry crossed his arms. "Umbra." Even though he had called out to me, Barry kept his back pointed towards me. "When you find Hector… Make it hurt."


	19. Past and Future

"Umbra, look. It's a full moon tonight." Walking out of the forest and into a clearing, I looked up like my mom had told me to. Just as she said, the moon was full. Every now and then the moon would fix itself and every time it amazed me. Finally having enough with the mystery, I decided to ask my mom.

"Mom, how does the moon fix itself? And how does it keep breaking?" Laughing at my question, she looked down at me.

"The moon doesn't fix itself Umbra. It's just showing us another side." Another side? Wouldn't it still be broken though? "What if I told you… That tonight is a special night Umbra. Tonight, the moon is looking down on all of us. Making sure that we're safe."

"Really? It does that all by itself?" Smiling, my mom picked me up and held me. I was grateful, considering I was starting to get tired.

"The moon isn't alone. Do you see all those stars in the sky?" Looking up I could see a countless number of stars in the night sky. Some were shining bright while others flickered. "Those are all the people who have moved on. Once their time comes, they go to help the moon by watching over their loved ones."

"Those are a lot of people…" I couldn't help but wonder how crowded it was up there. For awhile it was silent. While my mother held me, we looked up at the moon and the stars. Then, she spoke up.

"Someday Umbra, it will be my time. Eventually, I'll have to go up there myself." Panicking, I looked towards my mom. "Once that happens, I'll be sure to shine the brightest. That way you'll know exactly which one is me." The idea of my mother leaving me to join all the people high above scared me.

"You can't go! You have to stay down here with me and dad! Please don't go!" Burying my face into her neck, she held me tight. Hugging my mother, I started to cry. I didn't want her to leave me and dad all alone!

"I'm sorry Umbra. It's just how things are. Eventually, everyone joins the moon and becomes a star in the night sky." I didn't want that to be how things were! I wanted things to stay just how they were! "Just know that when I go, I'll never truly be gone. From the sky, I'll be watching. So if you ever feel scared, sad, alone or you just don't know what to do, look towards the night sky. When you find the brightest shining star among them all, that will be me, cheering you on. As long as you remember this Umbra, you'll never be alone."

"Please mom, don't go! You can't go!" Rubbing my back, she started to sing. It was nice and made me more tired. Not only that, but it managed to calm me down a little.

"There's nothing to worry about Umbra. That won't be for a long time." Liar.

* * *

Still groggy, I did my best to wake up. While I didn't have a nightmare this time, I would have preferred to have one compared to the dream I had. Standing up I stretched and yawned. During our boat ride across the ocean to reach Solitas I had fallen asleep. As much as I would rather suppress those memories, it was the best sleep I had gotten in awhile. Standing over near the railing with their arms crossed was either Lexi or Damian. I knew it couldn't be Alfred because he was both taller and wider than the other two. Walking over, I grabbed onto the railing.

"I didn't think anyone else would be up." Still looking over the water, they didn't bother to look my way.

"What kind of leader would I be if I couldn't wake up early? If anything, I'm surprised that you're up. Considering how upset you were when we left the last village." He was talking about what we saw… After our encounter with Barry and his team, I had been wondering what he meant by, _it's not what my mother would have wanted._ When we arrived at the next village, I finally realized what he meant.

Hector had kept his promise. Because I couldn't stand up… Because I was too weak… Mary was killed. Her house was burnt down. It was all my fault. Not only did I kill Barry's father, but I killed the rest of his family too. All because I couldn't get up… Gripping the railing tight, I felt the rage build inside me all over again.

"Umbra. There's something I want you to know. You aren't the only one to experience tragedy." I knew that. With the Grimm, tragedy was an everyday occurrence. "I also know what it's like to lose one's family." That… wasn't exactly what I was expecting him to say. "When I was young, I lost both of my parents. My mother died due to cancer. The day she passed, I couldn't be there for her. As for my father, we were both at Mt. Glenn when the incident happened. Only one of us made it out that day." Turning to face me, he uncrossed his arms. "Your father had killed mine. If I had never met Alfred and Lexi, you probably wouldn't be standing here now." Turning back towards the open water, he grabbed onto the railing.

"I want you to know that while our songs have different beats, they share the same rhythm. I know the anger and pain that you feel. The darkness that follows you. Don't let it consume you. If you let those emotions become you, you'll turn out just like someone I once considered a friend." Standing in silence, I couldn't help but feel even worse. At the same time, it strengthened my will. I wanted nothing more then to kill Hector. Not just that, I wanted to draw his death out. Make him feel just as scared and helpless as those he's killed.

Without saying anything more, I left Damian and went back to my seat. For the rest of the journey I thought about what I would do when I got my hands on Hector. It was the only thing keeping me going at this point. When we finally reached Solitas, Alfred and Lexi had woken up. Before we could begin our long trek to Mantle however, I would need a cloak just like them. Luckily there was a shop in the village our boat had arrived at. Thinking back on it, a cloak would have been a nice thing to have from the beginning. Maybe if I had one back then I never would have got taken back to Beacon.

After we were done, we started our journey back up. I had to get to Atlas, and in order to do that we needed to reach Mantle first. After a few days of traveling we reached the village where I had been captured by Team RWBY. Unlike the last time I was here, it was night. In the dark the abandoned village held a whole new tone. The desolate village now had an eerie atmosphere.

"We should rest for now, let's set up camp in one of these houses." With how much stronger the Grimm in Solitas were, and seeing as how I already wasn't at full strength I figured it wasn't a bad idea. If we were to run into any Grimm here, I wanted to be at the best state I could be. Following Damian's lead we found a house that was in okay condition and used it to camp for the night. Throughout the night we took turns keeping watch to make sure nothing would sneak up on us. Grimm or otherwise… All night, whenever it was my turn to keep watch, I would see shadows move. Everything I had been through up until now combined with a lack of proper sleep was causing my mind to play tricks on me.

During one of my shifts, it got really bad. A snow storm had moved in and amplified things. It made it difficult to see far. Even with the storm raging outside, I managed to hear a noise. It was probably because the noise was from inside the building. Reaching for Shadow Rose, I stood up. Slowly making my way upstairs I heard the noise again. It was a thump. I tip toed down the upstairs hallway with my hand on the handle of Shadow Rose. There were four doors, but only one of them was were the noise was coming from. With each step I took the noise happened more frequently. The door at end of the hallway was shaking.

Arriving at the door that was making the noise, I reached for the doors handle. Just as I was about to make contact, it stopped. Retracting my hand for a second, I took a deep breath and put my hand back. As fast as I could, I opened the door. Shooting my hand up to Shadow Rose I was ready for a fight. But there was no one in sight. After scanning the room however, I noticed that the window was open a little. It was letting the cold air in. Walking over to the window, I closed it. Turning to leave I screamed. Standing behind me was a black shadow. Where it's eyes should have been were glowing red dots. And the shape it took… It reminded me of Hector…

Unsheathing Shadow Rose I sliced through the figure. While it dissipated after one slice, I wasn't able to rest easy just yet. Stepping out from the dark were more shadow figures. All of them looking just like the one I had just killed. Rushing forward I fought my way downstairs. When I got back to the first floor, I saw that the others were already up. They had heard my scream.

"Umbra wh-" Before Damian could say anymore I cut him off.

"Grim, a lot of them!" Jumping down the remaining stairs I turned and readied myself. Following me down the stairs were the shadow copies of Hector. From behind me I heard the three people I was traveling with gasp. I told them there was a lot. The shadow copies even had Hector's sword. Decimation. Alight with what looked like a black fire they rushed down the stairs. Backing up to be by the others we were ready to fight. Even though they were really weak, there was almost an endless supply of them. No matter how many we cut through, there was just another to take it's place.

"We can't stay here, at this rate we'll get overwhelmed!" After hearing Damian voice his opinion, I looked over at him.

"Are you crazy? There's a blizzard going on outside!" If we went outside, there was a high chance we'd all get separated. That, and I had no idea what type of Grimm we were facing. The closest thing I could compare them to were Geist's. But even then, Geist's couldn't change their shape. Sure they could posses things, but that definitely wasn't the case here. So in the end, I had no idea what we were fighting.

"There's not enough room to fight in here. Leave or stay, we won't have the advantage!" Damned if we do, damned if we don't. Do we stay inside and potentially risk getting overwhelmed, or do we take our chances outside? Screw it.

"Fine. At least we can start moving again. Let's get out of here." Cutting our way towards the door, Damian opened it and we ran out. Now outside in the dark of night and a blizzard we could barely see anything. It was almost as if the entire village was gone and we were transported somewhere else. Taking a quick look back I saw that those weird Grimm were still after us. Not wanting to stick around any longer I kept running. The three faunus friends were right behind me. As we ran snow was whipping all around us. My eyes stung from both the cold air and the snow.

While I could just use my Semblance to speed off, I didn't want to get separated with the others. Here in Solitas the Grimm were much stronger then I was used to. Having only one arm, I wouldn't stand a chance against any of the Grimm here by myself. Suddenly, I didn't feel too good. Not being able to fully protect myself that weak feeling returned to me. I hated it. I hated feeling weak. In this world, I had to be strong. Anything less meant I wouldn't be able to make it in this world. Though now that I thought about it, it didn't really matter in the end. After I killed Eliza and Hector I didn't care about what happened to me. All that mattered, was making them pay.

* * *

"For such a great Huntsman, I find it hard to believe that Umbra managed to survive an encounter with you." While Hector was sitting in a chair smoking a cigarette, he was lazily playing with his favorite lighter. Meanwhile, Cinder was standing nearby with an angry look on her face. "He got in our way. Why did you let him live?" Taking one last puff from his smoke, Hector put his lighter away while putting out the cigarette.

"You heard what the boss lady said. Him and his friends managed to take down an Empress. You gotta admit. For a bunch of nobodies, that's pretty impressive." Crossing her arms, Cinder didn't see what that had to do with what she just said.

"That's exactly why he should have been taken care of. He could prove to be a problem down the line. One that could have been avoided if you just killed him." Smirking, Hector stood up and faced the now complete Fall Maiden.

"What I'm trying to say Cindy…" Cinder scowled at the nick name. "Is that even if he doesn't realize it, we can use him to our advantage." Walking past Cinder, Hector clapped his hands together. "He's heading to Atlas, right? Didn't Arthur want that stupid new ship the military was building?" Raising an eyebrow, Cinder was starting to catch on. "We let him cause a ruckus, and we use that to our advantage. They'll be to busy dealing with him to notice us."

"I see… Very well then. Once he's outlived his usefulness, make sure that he won't cause us any problems later on." Chuckling, Hector patted Cinders shoulder as he passed by her.

"Ohhh Cinder. I enjoy listening to you talk as though you're above me. You know, if you didn't have those magical powers of yours, you'd be treated no differently then that freak Tyrian." Leaving the room, Hector put his hands into his pockets. He had to reach Mantle before Umbra did. After all, with everything that's happened recently, there was no way he'd reach Atlas without a little help.


	20. Separate Ways

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was almost like the universe knew I was feeling down. Both DMC 5:SE and Final Fantasy 16 got reveled on the same day. I can't wait to go through DMC 5 again but as Vergil. Which Umbra is based on a little. Vergil's Dark Slayer Style is what I based Umbra's Semblance off of. There was also a point in time when I was going to have Umbra be a Katana user. In the end, I figured it'd be to cliche. Pretty much every dark brooding character uses one. Not that I don't like it, I love that. Vergil is one of my favorite video game characters ever, but I wanted my story to be at least a little different. Also, when writing these chapters I usually listen to music from Silent Hill, but I like to listen to DMC songs when writing the combat stuff. Once Bury the Light comes out on Monday though, I'll probably only be listening to that. Alright I've rambled on long enough. Instead of annoying you with any more DMC stuff, I'll let you get to the chapter. Until next time, have a good one and stay safe.

Wandering the rugged streets of Mantle, a man in a cloak was looking for a way to reach Atlas. Due to the recent attack on Beacon, the only ones flying right now was the Atlas Military. All over the place trade was slow and tensions were high. Those involved in the attack weren't caught and everyone was afraid that their Kingdom would be the next target. What all this meant, is that the man would have to hijack a Bullhead from the military. It was risky but if he wanted to reach Atlas, there was no other choice.

As luck would have it, the hooded man found just the right targets. Stumbling out of a bar he was going to look in were three soldiers. If they were caught like this by a commanding officer, things wouldn't turn out so well for them. So, the man figured he would make things easier for them. Following closely behind he waited until they were in a secluded enough area. Being in the slums made this task much harder. Once they were alone however, he drew his sword. In a flash, his sword pierced through the soldiers chest farthest to the left. With all his strength, the man slashed out from his chest and decapitated the one next to him. By the time the third soldier turned around both of his friends were dead. With a scared expression on his face the final soldier fell back while crawling away.

"What the fuck!? How did y-" Cutting him off, the hooded man stabbed the ground between the cowering mans legs. Removing the hood from his face, the attacker ran a hand through his black hair. His other hand went into his pocket for a cigarette.

"I'm gonna make this short. If you don't wanna end up like your friends over there, I'd advise you to give me your ID." For the first part of his plan, they would need a Bullhead. Only those that the Atlas Military made were allowed in. And, of course, the ones that the military used would be nothing more then over sized paper weights without a proper ID. On the ground, the soldier scrambled to find his ID. The drunk was frantically searching his pockets. In his inebriated state he must have forgotten where it was. When he finally found it, he shot his arm out.

"Here! Please, don't kill me! I only finished training a week ago!" Taking a puff from his lit cigarette, the man smiled when he reached down for the card. While he could have just killed the man and be done with it, he liked to watch them squirm.

"Thank you very much. I'll make sure to put this to good use." Pulling his sword out from the ground, he went to put it away. This was just a ruse however, as he quickly brought his weapon down. Cutting the soldier straight down the middle. What was left wasn't a pretty sight. Laughing as he cleaned his blade, the attacker walked off. Before he got too far, his scroll went off. Seeing who it was, he picked up.

"Do you have it yet?" Flipping the ID card around, he checked it over.

"I'm look'in at it as we speak Cindy. I'll be with you all shortly." Scowling, Cinder hated it when Hector called her that. With the call ended she put her scroll away. Looking back she could see both of her underlings loitering about. The three of them had found an empty Bullhead and had sent Hector off to find the crew. With his Semblance, he was able to search the slums faster then any of them.

"Miss me Cindy?" Cinder's heart sped up for only a moment. Growling, she turned to face Hector. She had half a mind to slap him. "Now that I've got the card, let's get out of here. I can't stand this fuck'in place." Together, the four of them boarded the Bullhead. Card in hand, Hector went to the pilots seat.

"You're sure this will work Hector? Not only with us sneaking into Atlas, but moving Umbra there as well? What's the plan if someone becomes suspicious of us?" Crossing her arms Cinder took a seat.

"Really? Did you forget who I am? I've got a person on the inside. They'll make sure there's nothing suspicious about us." Wiping off the remaining blood from the ID card, Hector put it into the reader. "Alright kiddies. Hold onto your ass's, we're in for a bumpy ride!" Shooting Hector a look, Mercury suddenly didn't feel to safe.

"What do you mean by that old man? You said you knew how to fly these things." Laughter could be heard from the cockpit.

"Yeah. Doesn't mean I've _actually_ flown one though. If it'll make you feel better, I've only crashed twice in the simulations." Mercury paled.

"And how many times have you flown in the simulations?" Part of Mercury didn't want to know, but morbid curiosity got the better of him.

"You know that saying third times the charm? That many." Maybe he shouldn't have asked after all…

* * *

Just as I had feared I lost Damian and his group in the blizzard. All alone I was running blindly through the dark and the storm. If those Grimm were still chasing me or not, I wasn't able to tell.

"SHIT!" Tripping, I was sent tumbling down. It was difficult because I was sliding down a slope, but I eventually stabilized myself with my Semblance. Landing at the bottom I looked back up from where I fell down. Before I could react, someone landed on me. Right away I could tell it was Alfred. Which was weird, considering I thought I had lost everyone. Using my Semblance again, I avoided getting crushed to death.

"Oh, I'm sorry uhh. Umbra?" He was just as surprised to see me. "Did you see where Lexi or Damian went? I think I lost them in the blizzard." If he didn't see them, what made him think I did?

"No. I don't want to wait around for them either." It was freezing and waiting around would get us killed. Either from the cold, or the Grimm. Slipping into the shadows I took a quick look around. Trees towered above us and the sky was barely visible from where I was. Looking back up from where we fell, I couldn't see the top. Alongside it being a long fall, it was a really steep drop. With all the uses my Semblance had, climbing walls wasn't one of them. Walking back towards Alfred I left the shadows. "There's no way we're getting back up there. Our best option right now is to continue towards Mantle and Atlas. If we don't meet up with them along the way, we'll find them there." Nodding his head, Alfred stood up.

"Alright. Let's get going then. I only hope that Lexi and Damian are still together." Alfred was worried about his sister, I got that. But we couldn't let it slow us down. Reaching into my pocket I pulled out my map.

"Here. Try to find where we are. We entered the south side of the village and left through the north side. Try to find any dips in the land." This whole situation sucked. While it was nice to have those three around in the case of an attack from Grimm, they also slowed me down. Not to mention that stupid storm that forced us to stop. It was like the planet itself was trying to keep me from killing Eliza. If Eliza had never told me what her Semblance was, I would have thought it was her trying to kill me with this storm. Then again, people being able to control the elements without the use of Dust was a stupid idea. It was nothing more then another fairy tale that parents told their children…

"Okay Umbra, I think I found where we are." Alfred walked up next to me and showed me the map. He pointed at a spot on the map. "If I'm right, we're right here…" Sliding his finger along the map, he was now pointing at Atlas and Mantle. "And Atlas is here. So if we just keep going forward, we should be able to get there without much trouble."

"Good. We should move then, before any Grimm show up." He gave me my map back and I put it away. We still had a long trail ahead of us.

As we walked through the dark forest Alfred wasn't his usual self. I'm sure a big part of that was how we barely knew each other, but I knew that wasn't the main reason. There was a chance that those Grimm had caught up with Lexi and Damian. He was worried about whether his sister was still alive or not. To be honest, I couldn't understand how he felt. I don't think I'd ever be able to understand what it felt like worry about someone you cared about. The first and only time I got close to someone, they left me. I'd rather not go through something like that again.

Walking through the dark forest with Alfred I kept my guard up. Being so far down, at the very least we didn't have to worry about the storm anymore. Even if it was still dark and we got into combat, Alfred could see in the dark and I could just use my Semblance.

"Do you think they're okay Umbra?" I had hoped to finally travel in peace for awhile. There goes that.

"I don't know." It was the truth. I had only been traveling with them for awhile now and we only got into one serious fight. I hadn't spent enough time with them to judge their strength.

"Well… Can you guess? Please?" He was obviously trying to get me to say yes. I didn't want to lie about something like that, but if it got him to stay quiet why not?

"They're fine. You guys survived Beacon. Didn't you? Not only that, but the three of you came out in better shape then I did." In more ways then one.

"I guess you're right about that. Thank you, Umbra." There wasn't a reason to thank me. If I ended up being wrong, he'd only turn on me in the end. He'd say that I lied to him, when in the end, the only person he had to blame was himself. "As long as we're talking Umbra, what do you think those Grimm were back there?" And just like that, it seemed as though he was back to his talkative self.

"I have a few ideas. Though none of them make any sense." As stupid as it sounded, I was beginning to think those weren't Grimm we fought…

"You don't think those were… Chill… Do you?" If I hadn't seen both a Wyvern and an Empress, I would have laughed.

"With the way things have been going, it's definitely a possibility." Though because of their appearance, that wasn't possible. "In all seriousness, no, those won't Chill. The things we faced were pitch black, not pale white. Don't tell me you buy into that fairy tale crap. It's all bullshit. Magic isn't real and Grimm can't posses humans. Or. Uh. Faunus."

"It's not that I believe it. It's just that I was trying to throw some ideas out there." In the end, it didn't matter what attacked us.

"Listen Alfred, we escaped them and that's all that matters. As much as I'd like to study new and forgotten Grimm, we have more important things to be doing. Like getting to Atlas." If he wanted to see his friends again, we had to focus on our journey. Thankfully, he went back to being quiet after that.

As we walked deeper into the forest the trees seemed to loom ever higher above us. To add to the creepy factor, everything was completely silent. Not even the sound of the wind. Snow had made it down to the ground, but there wasn't much of it. Most of it must get caught on the giant branches high up. With his faunus hearing, Alfred had managed to hear something I didn't. Copying him, I stopped in my tracks. Shooting my arm up, I reached for Shadow Rose. For what felt like an eternity, we just stood there. Then, I could hear it too. It was a loud rumbling. Like something was storming our way. Not only that but the ground was starting to shake as well.

"Umbra, move!" Doing as Alfred said, I dodged just in time. Bursting out of the ground was a Centinel. Not far behind it were even more of them. What were these things doing out here? Didn't they live in caves? I could save my questions for later, right now, I needed to deal with some pests. Unsheathing Shadow Rose, I quickly counted how many Centinel's there were. My final count was 30. So 15 between the two of us. Fair enough I suppose. Lifting my blade, I did my best to get into a comfortable stance. Alfred drew both his sabers and readied himself. When we were ready, the both of us rushed into combat. Once we got closer, some of the Centinel's burrowed into the ground. They would try and attack from below.

Leaping at me a Centinel tried to attack me head on. I knew better then to bring my blade straight down, so instead I dodged the attack and swung up while doing so. It's acidic blood was spilled, but none got on me. Slipping into the shadows, I charged those that were still above ground. Every now and then I would pop out to kill one or two. Thanks to my Semblance, it was easy to avoid getting their blood on me. Just as the books said, these things were annoying but easy. If anything, the worst part was my building exhaustion. No doubt Alfred felt the same. We just got done running from some unknown Grimm, and now we were forced to keep up with a swarm of Centinel's. While there was a certain phrase I wanted to say, I knew better then to say it. Otherwise, it just might come true…

Soon enough, we managed to whittle down the amount of Centinel's. What started as a group 30 strong was now only left with two. Over the course of our battle Alfred had gotten burned twice, but it wasn't anything severe. Watching Alfred cut one of the Centinel's in half, I used my Semblance to maneuver behind the last remaining one. Popping back into reality, I stabbed the final Grimm. It was trying to escape by burrowing into the ground, but I had managed to stop it. Stomping on it I broke it's middle section. A loud crunch could be heard. It wasn't my favorite sound. As it dissipated into Grimm flakes, I sheathed Shadow Rose.

"Well. That happened. Where did those things come from?" Alfred had asked the number one question that was on my mind right now. He couldn't read minds, could he?

"There's probably a nearby cave system. It doesn't matter. Let's just get out of here before anything else shows up." The last thing I wanted was another encounter with literally anything else. Be it Grimm or humanoid. There was something that I needed to do, and I didn't want anything else slowing me down.

"Hey Umbra. I was watching you fight. If you want, I can help you work on a new stance. Since… you know…" Alfred saw that I was struggling to hold a stance. The only reason I held my own against these things was because they were so weak. Back during our encounter with the Empress, there was no denying that Damian did most of the damage.

"Let's find a place to rest for now. Once we're rested up, I'll think about it." Learning a new stance would be helpful. Not only would it make fighting easier, but I could surprise Hector the next time we fought. Next time, I would be able to fight Hector without having to rely on what he taught me. Before then, I really needed a break. Alfred probably needed one as well. If he was going to teach, and I was going to learn anything, we needed to be at the top of our game.

* * *

"ALFREEEED! UMBRAAA! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS!" Cupping her hands up to her mouth, Lexi was calling out for her missing friends. "COME ON GUYS THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" In the storm, they had all gotten separated. Now it was daytime though, and the storm was gone.

"Lexi, that's enough. They obviously can't here you." While Lexi was yelling out for her friends, Damian was standing nearby with his arms crossed.

"But what if they're in trouble Damian? We have to help them!" Sighing, Damian put his arms down.

"You know as well as I do Lexi that those two can hold their own. They're fine." While she didn't want to admit it, she did know he was right. Damian was always right. She couldn't think of one time he led her or her brother wrong. "For now, let's focus on getting to Atlas. That's where Umbra was going, so if they're still alive, that's where they'll be."

"Yeah, alright then. If something happened to Alfred though, I'm putting full blame on that jerk Umbra!" Patting Lexi on the shoulder as he passed by her, Damian started walking to Atlas. Determined to see her brother again, Lexi followed close behind him.


	21. The End Gives Way To New Beginnings

Blocking the attack swung my way, I pushed Alfred's attack off. Retaliating with a slash of my own, I sent him skidding back. Keeping the pressure up I rushed forward and brought my sword down. He rolled out of the way and tried to counter me. Jumping back I avoided his attack. For someone his size, he was surprisingly fast. Him and his friends must have been high ranking when they were still in the White Fang.

Both of us backed off and returned to our stances. With the help of Alfred, I was able to find a new stance. Putting my left foot forward, I held my sword back. Instead of pointing it forward I now pointed it at an angle towards the ground. It was difficult to get use to, but I was eventually able to put my past fighting style behind me. It helped that we had been training for two days now. When we reached Atlas/Mantle, we didn't see any sign of Damian or Lexi. If they were still alive, they'd find us.

Once we both caught our breath, we rushed in again. Slash after slash, we tried to take the other down. It was only a training session, but neither of us wanted to lose. With each clash our swords sent sparks flying. On the outside looking in, our fight probably looked like two rivals fighting to the death. I wouldn't have it any either way. Anything less, and I would never be ready to face Hector. If I wanted to get strong, my sparing partner needed to go all out.

Parrying Alfred's next strike, I got ready to deliver a devastating blow. Before I could however, I got tackled to the ground. Shadow Rose was sent to the ground and my arm was twisted up into a hold behind my back.

"I knew we couldn't trust you!" I recognized that voice. It was hard not to, considering how annoying it was. Second only to one Ruby Rose.

"Lexi, wait!" So did Alfred. "It's not what it looks like, we were just training!" Loosening her grip on me, the hot head let me go. Standing up, I grabbed Shadow Rose and sheathed it. Not far behind Lexi was Damian. It was one big happy reunion. Tuning the three of them out, I focused my attention towards Atlas. Looking up at the Kingdom in the sky, I felt anxious. I was so close. Somewhere up there Eliza was hiding. If not in her office, then in some fancy penthouse. Hector use to talk about getting one. He said if it wasn't for mom, and me wanting to go to Beacon, that we'd move to Atlas and live in one.

"Umbra." Damian had broke me out of my rambling. For once, I was glad someone did. Turning to face him, I saw that the team was back together. "Thank you for staying with Alfred and keeping him safe." I scoffed. He didn't need me to protect him. Stepping forward, Lexi was fidgeting with the hems of her sleeves.

"And I'm uh. Sorry for jumping to conclusions Umbra." She refused to look my way and instead looked off towards the forest. While I didn't blame her, I'd never let her know that.

"If that's all, I have business in Atlas to attend to." Wherever fate took us next, I was certain that it wasn't the same path.

"Actually Umbra, I have one more thing I wish to tell you." Walking towards me, Damian pulled his hood down. For the first time, I got a proper look at his face. He had short white hair and a matching set of fox ears. Half of his face was burnt, leaving him blind in one eye. His remaining eye was sky blue. Reaching me, he put a hand on my shoulder. "If you intend to carry out your vengeance, make sure that it's really what you want. Sometimes, anger can blind us to the truth." I saw the truth with my own eyes. I wanted… No… _Needed_ to put an end to Team SHDE. Hector nor Eliza could be allowed to live after what they did. As Damian took his hand off my shoulder I took a step back.

"I'm certain it's what I want." Nodding his head, Damian put his hood back up.

"When you're done in Atlas, you can find us in Mistral. Don't take too long Umbra." Who did he think I was? With my Semblance, I'd be in and out before anyone even knew I was here.

For just awhile longer I watched the three friends leave. They were happy to finally be back together. Watching them leave, I felt… angry? No. Not anger. It was an odd feeling that I had felt in the past. I had felt the same way after I had helped Team RWBY find Blake. I also felt the same way while stuck with Team BGND on that damn boat. Was I… jealous?

Balling my hand into a fist, I turned my gaze back towards Atlas. Whatever I was feeling right now didn't matter. All that mattered was that Eliza was so close. She was within my reach now. Once nightfall hit, I would sneak into Mantle. Inside Mantle I would have to find a way to sneak into Atlas. While I've heard stories about Atlas from both Eliza and Hector, I had never been here myself. In other words, it was probably going to take me all night.

After pulling my own hood back up, I put my hand into my pocket. Giving Atlas one last look, I walked off to where Alfred and I had camped. Just you wait Eliza. I'm going to make you pay for what you did…

* * *

Once he dropped Cinder and Mercury off in Atlas, Hector was now stuck with Emerald. She didn't seem to happy about it either. Though if they were going to lure Umbra in, they were going to need her Semblance. Taking his scroll out he dialed his person on the inside. When the person picked up Hector couldn't help but laugh.

"This isn't a joke friend. Don't tell me you actually thought I was dead?" Stepping away from the flight controls, he paced around the Bullhead. "It's a long story. All I'll say is, I decided to tell Umbra the truth and he didn't like it." Taking out a cigarette, he lit it with his lighter. "Yeah. I thought his… experiences in Vale woulda made him see the light. Guess not." Letting out a puff of smoke, he kept pacing. "I mean, practically everyone there hated 'em. The only person that gave 'em the time of day ended up killing herself as well. All things considered, he _should_ have understood what I was telling him. Guess he really is as much of Sera's kid as much as he is mine."

"Enough of that. I've got a favor I need from you. You were recently promoted, right? Use that to your advantage and help me an' a group infiltrate the base. Don't worry, all we want is some stupid ship." While Hector was banking on Umbra causing an uproar somewhere else in the base, he knew they wouldn't leave the hanger completely empty. They needed someone on the inside to tamper with things to make sure everything went smoothly. "Perfect. Once this is all over, why don't we grab a drink? It'll be on me." Standing up, Hector dropped his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. Laughing, he said his goodbyes to the person on the other end.

With his contact made aware of the situation, Hector could take the Bullhead back to Mantle. Once there it was up to Emerald to disguise the two of them as Atlas soldiers. After that they would lead Umbra back to the Bullhead. The kid should consider himself lucky that they were helping him. With no other way into Atlas, he would have a hard time getting there himself. As Hector went back to the controls to take flight, he smirked. If time allowed it, he was hoping to have a little family reunion.

* * *

Walking through the streets of Mantle, I couldn't believe how different the place was compared to Vale. Just as people said, it was a rough place to live. No matter where you went people seemed to be down on their luck. A large portion of the population was faunus as well. Suddenly, the hate that the White Fang held towards humans seemed to make a lot more sense to me. Hearing gunshots from down the street, I chose to take a left turn instead of continuing forward. Now that it was nighttime, the crime rate was at it's highest. Barely anyone did anything about it, and those who did, did a poor job. Just as Hector said, no one really cared. They just pretended to. Taking a left turned out to be the right idea, as I spotted two soldiers walking down the sidewalk.

"We're all finished here. We'll see you back at base." What do you know. They were returning to base as well. With the use of my Semblance I stalked them to their destination which just so happened to be a Bullhead. Looks like I wouldn't be spending that much time in Mantle after all. I watched them enter the Bullhead through the side and I slipped in as one of them was closing the door. Thankfully they both entered the cockpit so I wouldn't have to use my Semblance the whole ride to Atlas. While I had better control over it by now, it still hurt to use for too long.

Climbing high into the air, I looked out the window and down at Mantle. I watched as the city slowly got smaller. Soon enough, we were out from under Atlas. The view of Mantle was replaced with a view of Atlas. So close. I was so close… As I got closer, my heart rate went up. Saying I was nervous would be an understatement. The last time I saw Eliza felt like a lifetime ago. When I thought about it, I realized it really was a lifetime ago. Who I am now isn't the same person as that wide eyed idiot I used to be. Seeing the world for what it really was changed who I am.

When the Bullhead touched down, I used my Semblance and waited for one of the soldiers to open the door. I didn't want to raise any suspicions already. When they did, I sped away and found a place I wouldn't be seen. Finally. After far too long, I was finally in Atlas.

Sneaking into the building that I assumed to be the base, I made sure that no one saw me. Most of the people wandering the halls were wearing suits. What I needed was a soldier. If I was going to find Eliza, I needed to interrogate one of them. Finding a soldier on his own, I snuck up behind him and held Solar Eclipse up to his neck.

"Make one wrong move, and I paint the floor red." Hearing this, the solider put his hands up. I had no intentions of actually killing him, but if he gave me no other choice I wouldn't hesitate. Just as I was about to ask him were Eliza was, another soldier rounded the corner. Spotting us, she upholstered her gun and pointed it at me. Great.

"Let him go and drop your weapons! Now!" It was some faunus. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looked like the female version of Damian. Without the blind eye of course.

"Not a chance. Now, tell me where I can find Eliza Dubos. If you don't I'll kill him." Since I only had one arm, I had to press the blade against his neck. That way, any injury he got would be from his own movements.

"Sir, I won't repeat myself!" The soldier in my grasp squirmed a little. In doing this, he pricked himself on Solar Eclipse.

"Alright alright! She was promoted to Specialist! She's on the 54th floor! Now please, let me go!" That wasn't so hard, now was it? As fast as I could manage, I sheathed Solar Eclipse. Now that I had my hand free, I stole the gun that was holstered on his hip. Shooting out the lights I used my Semblance to escape. There wasn't much the faunus could do to stop me, because by the time the man in front of me ducked I was already gone. Ducking into the stairway, I was panicked. After that mess, the base would soon be on alert. Not only that, but Eliza would be told someone was after her.

I couldn't waste anytime. Even if it hurt, I had to push my Semblance to the limit so I could reach Eliza before she slipped out of my grasp.

* * *

Tapping his foot, Hector was waiting for the shit show to begin. He made sure to drop Umbra off somewhere he would be spotted. Lots of lights, lots of eyes. It was only a matter of time. Then, it happened. Alarms started to blare. Smiling, Hector was ready to get to work. Together with Emerald and Mercury, the three of them made their way to the hanger. Cinder wouldn't be joining them for this mission. Not that it mattered, considering they didn't really need her.

When they reached the holding bay, they watched as soldiers were running around like headless chickens. Everyone was so worked up after Beacon, they probably feared that that's what was happening now. Reaching into his jacket, Hector pulled out his dead wife's weapon. It was a customized handgun that did all sorts of things. Right now, he needed it to take out the lights. While Emerald and Mercury rushed into combat, he stayed behind to leave the soldiers in the dark.

One by one he shot out the lights. When the room was cloaked in darkness, he made his move. Vanishing into the dark he could finally use his Semblance. The one that his son had inherited from him. Slashing his way through the room he was making his way towards the hanger controls.

Upon reaching the control room, he was greeted to a room full of soldiers. When they saw him they opened fire. Taking cover against the wall, he loaded Decimation with his favorite Dust. Fire. With Decimation loaded he aimed it into the room and let loose a burst of fire. Screams could be heard as those inside burned to death. Holstering his gun and sheathing Decimation he strolled into the room. Finding the controls he opened the hanger doors. With his task complete, he left the control room.

Using his Semblance Hector made a dash for the ship filled with experimental tech that Arthur was after. Waiting outside the entrance, Emerald and Mercury soon caught up with him. Now that everyone was present, they entered the ship. Thankfully for Mercury, ships this size came with auto pilot. So this time it wouldn't be Hector piloting the ship. Reaching the control room, Hector put the coordinates he was told into the console. Slowly, they rose out of the hanger. Behind them, they left death and chaos. Feeling his scroll go off, Hector looked to see who was calling him. When he saw who it was, he rolled his eyes.

"Miss the sound of my voice already Cindy?" He could almost feel the hatred that radiated through the scroll.

"You have an uninvited guest on top of the ship. Take care of him." That was all he needed to know. Hanging up, Hector checked the cameras. When he saw who it was, he couldn't have been happier.

"You two. Keep an eye on things here. I'll be right back." No matter how things turned out, Hector was about to have some fun.

* * *

On my way to Eliza, I did my best to avoid combat. The few times I was forced to fight, I used Lunar Eclipse while it was still sheathed. That way I wouldn't kill anyone. They already had enough on me and I didn't feel like adding anything else to my list.

Finding the door marked Specialist Dubos I quickly opened it. Inside, Eliza was standing up looking out the window in her office. Stepping into the room I closed the door behind me and locked it.

"It's been awhile. Hasn't it Umbra?" Turning to face me, she had her arms crossed. "You're so much taller now." Angry that she was trying to delay me, I stomped forward.

"Enough with the distractions!" Unsheathing Shadow Rose, I pointed the blade towards her. "I'm here to kill you. I won't bother explaining why because you should already know." Sighing, she looked towards the ground.

"That was a long time ago Umbra…" She was going to try and tell me how she was a different person then. That she's changed now.

"Don't even try it Eliza! You condemned countless people to death. Not only that, but you helped kill my mother! All for some stupid lien!" Still refusing to meet my eyes, she kept her gaze pointed towards the ground. "What you've done… It's irredeemable!"

"I won't argue with you there Umbra. And as much as I don't want to fight you, I won't just let you kill me." Finally looking up at me, we locked eyes. Suddenly, from behind me I could hear knocking. Then pounding. They were trying to get in. Using my Semblance I rushed in behind Eliza. Pressing Shadow Rose hard against her neck I watched as the door was broken down. Flooding into the room were a few soldiers and an important looking man.

"Umbra Hart, you are under arrest. Let Specialist Dubos go, and you won't be harmed." I was backed into a corner. They were blocking my only exit.

"General Ironwood, please let me talk to him! I ca-" Not having many options, I took the only one that involved me escaping. With Eliza in my hold, I threw us out of the window behind us. Slipping into the shadows, she came with me. Rushing over to the closest building, we reappeared into the real world. Having to let Eliza go to land, I watched as she tumbled across the rooftop.

Coughing as she got up, she was feeling the effects of the shadow world for the first time. As I got into my stance, Eliza looked over at me.

"Umbra! Are you insane!? Both of us could have died!" Flourishing my blade, I pointed Shadow Rose towards her.

"I don't care. All I care about is killing you!" Rushing forward, she finally unsheathed her weapon. Her dagger, Maelstrom. We traded blows and it felt like neither one of us held the advantage. Judging by the way she was fighting, I could tell she was holding back. Growling as we clashed blades, I held steady. "Quit holding back! Don't you dare look down on me!" Eliza used to fight side by side with both of my parents. She knew how powerful they were. So by holding back, she was trying to say that I was weaker then them.

"Quit acting like a child Umbra, let me talk to you!" Pushing each other back, she activated her weapon's true form while she skid backwards. Fighting on, I slipped into the shadows and drove Shadow Rose forward. With how much speed I built up with my Semblance, it was hard for her to avoid. While we fought, the wind started to pick up. Another storm was approaching. Instead of a blizzard however, it was a thunder storm. High winds, lightning and thunder. What a way to send Eliza off.

Hitting the roof in front of me, someone had shot at me. Looking over, I could see a gunship had it's spotlight on me. Screaming and waving her arms, Eliza was trying to get them to break off. She didn't want to get hit by accident. Still having that gun from earlier, I shot at the gunship. My target wasn't the pilot, but the spotlight. Now that I was back in the dark, I rushed Eliza once more. This time she managed to avoid the attack instead of having to block it. Not having time to slow myself down, I was sent over the side of the building. Reaching out to grab me Eliza tried to stop me. It was too late however and we were both sent over the ledge.

Just as I was going to use my Semblance, a Bullhead showed up. Shining it's spotlight on me, it tracked our decent to the ground. Now that I wasn't able to use my Semblance, both of us really would die this time. Closing my eyes to brace for impact with the ground far below, I was surprised when our fall was interrupted. Rolling away from Eliza I took a quick look around. We landed on some type of ship.

"Umbra, stop and listen for just one moment! Please!" Sneering at her, I wasn't interested in anything she had to say. Slowly walking towards Eliza, I kept Shadow Rose pointed down. She was injured in the fall. Her Aura was gone. "Ever since what happened to your mother… I've felt guilty." Stopping, I hardened my gaze. "I wanted to help her. I really did. But back then…" Just as I thought. She was trying to say that she's changed since then. "I was scared of Hector. Of what he was capable of."

"Shut up! Don't lie to me! I went back to Mt. Glenn and I saw the evidence for myself!" Gripping Shadow Rose tight I could feel my face heat up. "You killed my mother for 13 million lien!"

"I never took the lien Umbra! Danial took it! I refused to accept that bastards lien!" Hearing this, I was taken aback. Shakily, she stood up. Sheathing Maelstrom as she did. "It's my fault Umbra. It's all my fault you're like this." She was crying now. "I should have had your mother moved to a hospital here. I should have convinced Hector to let me take care of you. I should have…" I heard enough.

"Stop it. Stop lying!" Everything she was saying was a lie! She was about to die and she was getting desperate.

"I never wanted to hurt her Umbra. Because… I… I loved her too!" What? "Seeing her with Hector, it made me jealous! She was always so kind to everyone! And Hector, he could be so cruel. I never understood what she saw in him." She… loved her? As in… "I should have done more Umbra. I'll understand if you never forgive me. But please. End this. I can help you Umbra. Give you a normal life again!" A normal life? At this point, my grip was so strong on Shadow Rose I thought I would break it. With tears in my eyes, I slowly sheathed Shadow Rose. Through blurry eyes I watched as she walked towards me with her arms out. "It's alright Umbra. Come he-" Stopping mid sentence, she looked down witch shaky eyes. As her blood splashed over me, I backed up. Standing behind Eliza with his sword driven through her back was none other then Hector. "Umb…" Before she could finish, Hector threw her over the side of the ship.

"Well Umbra. Ya did it. That's the second person responsible for Sera's death gone." Each step I took backwards, he matched. "How's it feel, huh? You're just overflowing with happiness, right?" The bastard. Unsheathing Shadow Rose, I screamed as I rushed him. Bringing my blade down, he blocked it with ease. "It's not too late you know. I can still save you Umbra. This is your _last_ chance to come with me." There was no way I would ever follow him anywhere!

"Fuck you and fuck your friends!" Frowning, he sighed.

"I tried Umbra. I really did. But you give me no choice…" Using his full strength he sent me flying back. Tumbling on the back of the ship I struggled to catch myself. My Aura was gone so I wasn't able to use my Semblance. Stabbing Shadow Rose into the ship I was able to keep myself from falling off the ship. "You want to die so bad? I'll grant you your wish. Just be sure to say hello to Sera and Eliza for me when you see them." Millions of thoughts were running through my brain. My emotions were running a mile a minute as well. A few memories managed to stand out from all the rest however.

 _"...If everything is as bad as you think it is, but you still managed to survive. It makes you strong. But you have to want the need to change if you're going to do anything with that strength."_ Gripping onto Shadow Rose, I stood up and faced Hector. Pulling my blade out from the ship I stared him down. _"It's not too late Umbra. If we work together, we can prevent what happened at Mt. Glenn from happening here."_ Walking towards me, Hector had a smug look on his face. _"_ _Umbra._ _When you find Hector… Make it hurt."_

"All my life... I wanted nothing more then to follow in your footsteps... To be just like you." Stopping in his tracks, Hector looked like he wanted to hear what I had to say. Good. "Be someone others could look up to... A Huntsman..." The storm was starting to pick up. Lightning flashed all around us. "But now..." Feeling my strength come back to me, I raised Shadow Rose and got back into my stance. "Now all I want... Is to kill you!" Rushing forward at new speeds, I caught Hector off guard. My slash sent him skidding back. The power I felt was insane! It was almost as if I was another person! Going on the offensive, I chased after Hector. Ready for me this time he managed to block my assault. Testing my luck, I tried to use my Semblance. When I actually went into the shadow world, I was surprised. Not wasting anytime, I moved behind Hector. Reappearing, I slashed at his back.

"I refuse to be judged for your actions!" Gaining the upper hand I managed to force Hector onto the defensive. However, each time a flash of lightning went off I could feel my power drain. But just as quickly, it came back. "I refuse to be hated for what you've done!" I knew killing him wouldn't change anything, but it would be a start. "And I refuse to live in your shadow any longer!" Speeding forward I landed an attack that shattered his Aura.

"ENOUGH!" Lighting Decimation ablaze, he sent me back with a fiery shock wave. Touching his cheek, Hector pulled his hand back to see blood. I could hardly believe it. Not only did I break Hector's Aura, but I managed to make him bleed as well! Angry, Hector bared his teeth at me. Rushing him again, I could feel my body crying out in pain. The pain I felt while in the shadow world too long was nothing compared to this. It felt like an invisible force was slowly crushing me. Slash after slash we traded blows. The only time Hector was really able to hit me was when there was a flash of light. After we hit each other with our strongest attacks we skidded backwards.

"I'm done playing around Umbra! I'm going to end this right here and now!" Raising Decimation up high, he pierced the ship below. "Goodbye Umbra!" Pumping Decimation to the max, he flooded the ship with fire. Losing power, it was now heading towards the ground. Running forward I was prepared to kill him. In the middle of slashing at his neck, I was blasted backwards. Yelling as I fell off the ship I was angry. He was right there, I could have killed him! Using my Semblance I landed as safely as I could.

Looking up, I watched as the ship left a streak of fire in the night sky. Storm clouds covered the stars and moon. Falling to my knees I felt all the energy I had left leave my body. Sobbing, I was a mess. I didn't know what to believe. Was Eliza really telling the truth? Did she love my mom? If she was lying, why would Hector kill her? Was it to take her share of the lien? Sitting there, I watched with tears in my eyes as the ship slowly fell to the ground. As it disappeared, I lowered my gaze to the ground.

* * *

After Hector had destroyed the ship, he realized that Emerald and Mercury were still onboard. Knowing that Cinder wouldn't hesitate to kill him if her underlings died, he rushed back over to the hatch. Throwing it open he saw them climbing the ladder out. Reaching down to pull Mercury and then Emerald out, they all ran to the nearby Bullhead. Waiting inside was Cinder. Piloting the thing was his contact.

"Hector. Would you care to explain what that was?" Giving him a mean look, Cinder was not happy.

"I got angry alright! You'd do the same thing if you were me and don't even try lying!" Crossing her arms Cinder sat down. After lighting a smoke, Hector took a seat as well.

"You do realize that now you have to explain to Watts as to why he won't be getting his ship. Correct?" Blowing a puff of smoke Hector shot Cinder a look.

"I don't give a shit! Watts can suck my di-"

" _Enough!_ " Stopping what he was saying, Hector went back to smoking. "Either way, I won't be taking the blame for this… incident. You'll explain to both Watts and the Queen as to why your plan was a failure. And when you do… She _won't_ be happy." Tuning the fire witch out, Hector took out his lighter. Flipping it open and closed he was deep in thought. After his major fuck up, his life was on the line. He was trying to come up with something that could get him out of this mess. Then. It hit him. That brat with the silver eyes… Slowly, his frown turned into a smirk. If he brought her head on a platter, then maybe. Just maybe. He could snake his way out of this one as well. Once he knew he wasn't at risk of dying, he'd pay Umbra back for humiliating him.


	22. Hunting Hunters

After trying to stand up I collapsed back onto the ground face first. My entire body ached, I felt like shit. Whatever I did during my fight with Hector really did a number on me. For a short while, I was as strong as Hector. No. I was stronger then Hector. If I could find out what exactly I did during our most recent fight, I'd be able to finally beat Hector. Even if I died in the process, it'd be worth it. He'd be dead, and I'd have my revenge.

As I tried to lift myself up once more I could feel someone pick me up. I couldn't see who, since everything was hazy. When they heaved me over their shoulder I felt like vomiting. Out here, the only people I could think of that would help me were Damian, Alfred and Lexi. They had left for Mistral however, so I knew for a fact that it wasn't any of them. Watching my savior, or captors legs as they carried me off, I soon passed out.

* * *

"Hector. When I release you, I want you to give me one good reason as to why I should spare your life." Floating behind Hector was a Seer Grimm. Currently, he was being choked by said Grimm. "You failed to recruit your son to our cause. Even though you said recruiting him would be easy." The women talking to Hector slowly walked over to him. Her heels clacking as she did. "Then, you failed to retrieve the ship from Atlas. You were the one to destroy it in fact." From where she was watching, Cinder was hiding her grin. The whole trip back she had been waiting for this moment. "On top of that, you failed to kill Umbra. Now. Tell me why I should give you another chance. Remember. Your life is on the line." With a snap of the pale woman's fingers, Hector was released. Coughing as he stood up, he faced the women.

"I can… I can bring you the silver eyed warrior."Crossing her arms, the pale women waited for him to continue. "The one who turned the Wyvern into stone? The girl?" From what Hector was told, the girl and her team had watched over Umbra during his time at Beacon. Ruby was her name. "Give me enough time, and I'll bring you her head." Rubbing his neck, Hector waited for the woman's decision. Reaching out, she grabbed his face.

"You have one year Hector. Don't mess this up." Shoving him away, she turned around and went back to her seat. Just as Hector was ready to leave, she spoke up one last time. "Hector, why don't you take Tyrian with you? He will keep an eye on you and make sure that you don't fail me again." Scowling, that was the last thing Hector wanted. To be stuck with that freak. Maniacal laughter rang throughout the room as Tyrian made his way over to Hector. Together, the two of them left to fulfill their mission.

* * *

Opening my eyes, I found myself in a familiar situation. Leaning up against the wall next to the door was both Shadow Rose and Lunar Eclipse. Looking over to the desk that was in the room I could see Solar Eclipse. Good. At least all of my gear was still with me. Getting out of bed I went for Solar Eclipse first. After retrieving Solar Eclipse I went over got my other two weapons as well. With all my gear collected I peaked out the door. Not seeing anyone, I stepped out into the hall. From behind me I heard someone gasp.

"What are you doing out of bed, you should be resting!?" That voice. It sounded familiar… I turned to face the person that saved me. When I did, my eyes widened. What I was seeing couldn't be possible. "Well? Are you going to answer me or are you just going to stand there?"

"Cherry? You're supposed to be…" Hector said he was going to kill both Mary and Cherry. After seeing the state that Mary's house was in, I figured that Cherry suffered the same fate.

"In Sanus? The truth is me and my family only visit Sanus once in a while to help out. We fly to Vale from Mantle. After we were done helping Mary, we flew back home. So luckily we missed that whole thing with Beacon. I'll tell you about what happened later." I had already seen what happened. I was there. "You know… I never caught your name. We've met like three times now and I still don't know your name."

"My name's Umbra." It's only fair. She has saved my life twice now. It was the least I could do.

"Umbra huh? As in, Umbra Hart?" I winced when she said that. How did she figure that out, Umbra can't be that rare of a name. Can it? Maybe telling her my name wasn't such a good idea after all.

"I need to go." It wasn't really a lie. Hector was still alive, and I needed to find him before he could do anything else. Turning back towards the direction of the main door, I took my leave. Before I could get far Cherry grabbed onto my arm.

"Whoa, hold on. Slow it down Umbra. Are you sure you're okay to be traveling?" Looking back I could see she had a worried expression on her face. I found that odd. She knew who I was, but she was worried about me anyways.

"I'm sure. Even if I wasn't, I'd still leave anyways." Slowly, she let my arm go. "Thank you for saving me a second time."

"Well… Before you go, could you at least tell me what happened to your arm?" If that's what it took to get back out there, then I didn't see any harm in telling her. Turning back to face her, I told her what happened.

"Since you already know about what happened at Beacon it saves me some time from explaining that. I was there, and I ran into one of the people that helped cause it's downfall. You can probably guess how that fight went down…" She looked down after listening to my explanation. Leaving out the details, there was no point in telling her who exactly I fought. Nor about how I was kicked around at the end. I debated on whether or not I should tell her about Mary's death, but in the end I decided against it. Lifting her head back up, she walked up to me.

"Umbra. If it's not too much to ask, could… Could I…" Whatever she was trying to say, she was struggling to get it out. Then, out of nowhere, she grabbed onto me. "Let me go with you! Please!?" Out of all the ways she could have responded, this isn't one that I expected. "You keep getting hurt, and if I was with you, I could help! I've never been strong, but I've always wanted to travel the world and help people! So please, let me go with you!" Raising my arm, I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Cherry, it's too dangerous for someone like you. Do you even have your Aura unlocked?" She flinched. "I didn't think so. Stay here with your family. Leave the dangerous stuff to me." As she lowered her arms I gently pushed her off of me. Walking towards the door, I figured I'd tell her one last thing. "I work better alone anyways. Even if you had your Aura unlocked, you'd still just get in my way." It was harsh, but I didn't want to be responsible for her. Babysitting wasn't my thing. While I fought alongside Alfred, Damian and Lexi at least those three knew how to fight. If they got killed, it would be their own fault.

Leaving Cherry behind I left the house. Once outside I took a look around. In the distance I could see Atlas floating in the sky above. If they weren't looking for me before, they'd surely be after me now. Before I could even think about traveling to Mistral I needed to find out where I was exactly. Otherwise my map would be worthless. Looking back on it, maybe asking Cherry where I was on my map would have been a smart idea. It was too late for that now. With Mantle being the closest landmark, I went back to the place that they would be searching for me. Raising my hood back up, I left for Mantle once more.

* * *

Sitting with his arms crossed, Hector was less then pleased to be suck with Tyrian. He'd rather be flying back to Vale with Cinder. As much as he hated the woman, at least she knew how to be quiet. Tyrian on the other hand was an unstable lunatic. He always had an annoying smile on his face as well. There wasn't a thing that Hector didn't hate about the man. Touching down outside Vale, the two of them made their way into the city. If anyone knew where that silver eyed girl was, it would be hisfriendin Vale. He owed Hector a favor anyways so he figured he'd cash in now. Reaching an old looking building, Hector looked at Tyrian.

"Why don't you wait out here?" Laughing, Tyrian returned Hector's gaze.

"And why is that Hector? Something you don't want me seeing?" Scoffing, Hector waved him off. If Tyrian was going to challenge him on every little thing, one of them wouldn't be returning alive.

"I've got nothing to hide. My friend just isn't too fond of your kind. That's all." Giving off a chuckle, Tyrian wondered off. As long as he didn't raise suspicion, he didn't give a shit as to what the freak did. Knocking on a metal door, a slit opened up and a pair of eyes peered through.

"Password?" Crossing his arms, Hector had to think for a moment. It had been a few years after all.

"Dra umt kutc…"

"...ryjah'd mavd drec bmyla." After saying the second half of the password, the man opened the door for Hector. Walking in he descended the long set of stairs. At the bottom was another door. After knocking twice the door was opened. Inside the room was filled with smoke. At a few tables people were playing various card games. Just your run of the mill gamblers den. Going over to his _friends_ room he pulled out a smoke of his own. Two med were guarding the room.

"I'm here to see the man who runs this place. My name's Hector, we go way back. If you don't believe me feel free to ask him yourself." Sharing a quick glance between each other, one of the guards opened the door and peeked his head in. After exchanging a few words, the guard looked back at Hector and nodded his head. Getting the all clear, Hector entered the room.

"If it isn't the asshole himself, how've ya been Hector? What's it feel like ta die?" Snuffing out his cigarette, Hector chuckled.

"That's a good one, come up with it yourself? You know there isn't anyone alive that could take me out." Walking out from behind his desk the brown haired man patted Hector on the back.

"Yeah, that's cause you're one stubborn son of a bitch. For real though, how ya been?" Together the two friends sat down on the nearby couch.

"Well, other then being betrayed by my own son, I've been just fine." He made sure to leave out some of the _finer_ details. Leaning forward, Hector hardened his gaze. "Listen. Simon. I'm going to be straight with you. I didn't come here for shits 'n giggles. I'm here to cash in on that favor you owe me." Lighting a cigar, Simon looked up.

"That huh? Whatdya need?" If Simon didn't know where the girl was, Hector was shit out of luck. Damn that pale bitch for making him find her on his own…

"I need to know where a girl named Ruby Rose can be found. She went to Beacon. If I'm not mistaken, she's also the daughter of Summer Rose and uh… Shit. What was his name? Fuck, uhh. Oh! Taiyang Xiao Long or some shit like that." Passing Hector one of his cigars, Simon lit it for him.

"Yer after Ruby eh? What, you wanna get back at your old rivals?" Hector rolled his eyes. That was a long time ago. He didn't give a shit about anyone from Team STRQ anymore. They were all washed up nobodies now anyways. "I don't know where they live exactly, but I can tell you for certain that they don't live in Vale." This didn't bode well for Hector. "If you don't mind searching, I did hear something about Taiyang being a teacher at Signal Academy. Ya know. Out in Patch?" And just like that, the cards were once again on his side. "That's all I know. If you want to find 'er, your best bet is Patch." Standing up, Hector pat Simon's shoulder.

"Alright. That's all I need to know Simon. Take care alright?" Standing up as well Simon took a puff from his cigar.

"I should be saying that to you. Don't go dying on me again, eh?" Stepping out into the gambling den, Hector saw someone get escorted to one of the back rooms. Bastard was caught cheating. He'd be lucky to leave with his life. Cheating was pretty common here. He'd seen plenty of people walk out of one of those rooms missing a few fingers, a hand and even a full arm once. What you lost depended on how much the house would have lost due to your cheating. Remembering he had something to do, Hector climbed the stairs to leave.

Back outside, Hector dropped his cigar to the ground and put it out. After that, he began looking for the freak. When he found Tyrian, he was pestering some old woman. Whatever he was babbling about could be saved for later. Putting on a fake smile, Hector rushed to the old woman's aid.

"I apologize for my friend here ma'am. He's quite the eccentric one." Dragging the psycho away, he gave the faunus a death glare. "What did I say on the way here? The last thing we need right now is the feds on our ass." Tyrian for once had a frown on his face.

"Do you know what that hag said to me!? She said she hated my hair! The nerve!" Why Salem kept this freak around was beyond Hector. He was a loose cannon. Sure. Hector fucked up a few times, but at least he'd never get one of them caught!

"Yeah, well, judging by her age she'll be dead soon anyways. Now come on. We've got a mission to do and it's taking us to Patch." The sooner he could get away from Tyrian, the better. Being around the faunus was bad for Hector's health. He gave Tyrian a quick glance. "And to be fair, I hate your hair too."


	23. New Faces All-round

It was a long wait, but Hector had finally managed to find Taiyang. Hanging around Signal Academy he watched as a blonde haired man left the school. Someone he used to spar with. Following him from the shadows, Hector and Tyrian made sure that they were never seen. When they were certain that the house he was walking towards was his, Hector jumped into action.

"Tai! Long time no see!" Turning around, Taiyang was horrified when he saw who was calling out to him. "What's with that face? Aren't you happy to see an old friend?" Saying this, Hector put on a sardonic grin.

"You're no friend of mine Hector. Not anymore." Hector put on a look of fake hurt. Holding a hand up to his chest, he gasped.

"Come on Tai, we used to train together! Remember all the good times our teams had at Beacon?" Going back to his grin, Hector put his arm back down and walked closer. "I suppose that _was_ a long time ago. You probably forgot. Then again, in your old age, I bet you forget a lot of things." Taiyang sneered. "Now. Instead of wasting anymore time I'm going to get to the point. Where is Ruby." Holding up his fists, Taiyang got into his stance.

"Like I'd ever tell you! Now leave before I beat you down! Just like when we were at Beacon." Now Taiyang was the one wearing the grin. Unsheathing Decimation, Hector sighed.

"Guess we're doing this the hard way." Rushing forward Taiyang made the first move. Delivering a straight, Hector blocked it with the flat of his blade. While he was busy with that, Taiyang sent a hook with his free arm. The punch was strong enough to knock Hector back. Rubbing his jaw Hector chuckled. "For an old man, you've still got a good fuck'in hook." Recovering quickly, Hector got back into his stance. In a flash he was back in the fight. With his sword, Hector held the advantage in this fight. Each attack that Taiyang blocked was another hit to his Aura.

Meanwhile, from his spot in the trees, Tyrian watched as the fight unfolded. Then, something caught his eye. Sneaking out the back was a blonde haired women. On her one arm was a gauntlet. Even though Hector had told him to stay back, Tyrian doubted the arrogant man counted on someone else stepping in. Leaping out of the trees the faunus took the girl hostage before she could intervene with Hector's fight.

"Hey, let go of me!" Hearing his daughter yell out, Taiyang lost focus. This gave Hector the chance to grab the brawler and hold him hostage as well.

"Well. Would ya look at that. Someone decided to be brave." Bringing Decimation up to Taiyang's neck, he pressed hard. "So Tai. Ya feeling talkative now?" Hector would have to remember to thank the girl the next time they met. "Now. You tell me where Ruby is, or your other girl here helps paint the house a nice shade of red." To reinforce what he said, Tyrian raked his blade across Yang's face.

"Even if I wanted to tell you, I can't! She left without telling me where!" Angry, Hector pressed his blade even tighter.

"Tai. You're not lying to me. Are you now? Because if you are…" Breaking through the mans Aura, Hector drew blood. "Not only are you in trouble, but so is your daughter."

"Wait! Stop it! She's heading towards Mistral, that's all I know!" Smiling, Hector released his grip on Taiyang and patted his shoulder before pushing him to the ground.

"Who would have thought! You know Tai, if I didn't know any better I'd say little Yang here is secretly working for my side!" Embarrassed, Yang looked away. "As much as I'd love to kill you now Tai, I've got more important shit to do. Not only that, but I'd love to have a real fight with you again. Just like the old days." Bringing his blade down, Hector stabbed into Taiyang's leg. "I never said anything about slowing you down though! Get well soon Tai!" Tyrian released Yang and she ran to her fathers aid. Leaving the scene of the crime, Hector and Tyrian were now heading to Anima. Still smiling as they left, Hector was glad to be one step closer to his target.

* * *

Going back to Mantle was a pretty nerve racking journey. If I were to get caught, I wouldn't be able to hunt down Hector. After finding out where I was on a map again, I started off towards Mistral. It was… weird to be traveling alone again. If Cherry didn't need to be protected, I probably would have let her tag along. But at the same time I was finally able to think in peace again. One of the bigger things on my mind was my fight with Hector. That power boost I had received. I knew for a fact that shadows had a part in my boost. Each time the sky flashed due to the storm, I could feel the power sap from my body. Most likely the storm saved my life. Since I didn't know what I was doing, I probably would have ended up killing myself with all that power. Before my next fight with Hector, I knew I had to find out how to control that power. Without it I wasn't sure if I could even stand a chance against Hector.

Focusing in back on the real world I found myself in a village. Though, something felt off. Even though everything was covered in snow, not a single footprint could be seen. Nothing was destroyed so on the outside everything looked fine. A chill ran down my spine, and it wasn't from the cold. Reaching for Shadow Rose I kept my hand on my sword as I walked through the village. It wasn't until I reached the center of the village that I realized why I had a bad feeling. Webbing covered the place and people could be seen wrapped in silk. Their dead bodies were stuck to the sides of buildings. Sensing my quick spike of fear, Broodmothers started crawling out of their hiding spots. Backing up, I gripped at Shadow Rose.

These Broodmothers were covered in ice. Their fragile appendages were coated with an icy armor. At the very least, I didn't see the Empress of the group anywhere. Quickly unsheathing Shadow Rose I tried to calm myself down. Panicking would only draw more out. It was hard to do, considering it was still dusk out. So while there were shadows out, there weren't enough for me to effectively fight. Gripping Shadow Rose tight, I got into my stance. If I just played defensively until night hit I would be fine.

As the three Broodmothers rushed me on their eight legs I ran back into the shadows. In my element, I did my best to fight the three armored Broodmothers off. As I fought, more and more started coming out of hiding. If things kept up, I'd end up stuck to the side of a building as well. With how bad things looked, it was hard for me to keep calm. Not just because I was scared, but because I was angry as well. Laughter echoed in my mind. Whether it was from my time at Pharos, or when Hector took my arm, it didn't matter. They were laughing at my failure. At me.

Now surrounded by Broodmothers, I gripped Shadow Rose tight. Just like on top of that ship my Aura looked like it was leaking. Inside I felt a surge of power. Charging forward, I cleaved the Broodmother that was in front of me in two. It's ice armor shattered as it dissolved. Making sure not to step into the light, I turned to face the remaining Broodmothers. I cut through them one by one with speeds I could only dream of reaching. It was a rush to be this strong. Is this how Hector felt when he fought?

Hearing a familiar clicking noise I slipped into the shadows. In doing so, I avoided getting impaled. Somehow the Empress had managed to sneak up on me. These damn things were fast. Just like her children she was covered in ice. Remembering the last time I tried to attack one from above, I chose to go after her legs instead.

Reappearing to take out one of her legs, she managed to dodge me. This one was faster than the last. Zipping in and out of what little space I had, I did my best to fight both her and more of her children that showed up. Soon enough, I'd be overwhelmed. Pushing myself even farther it felt like I could be crushed under the weight of my own strength any second. Dashing even faster then I could keep up with, I sliced through the Empress.

In the end that was a bad move. All my energy left me and I fell down to one knee. Even with their mother dead, the children kept up their attack. As they closed in on me I prepared for the worst. That was until someone else had jumped into the fray. They were wearing a large white coat with a hood covering their face. With their giant double sided ax they crushed through the remaining Broodmothers. Whoever they were, they were strong. After making sure that no Grimm remained, they turned to face me. Lowering their hood, I could that it was a woman.

"Ya know. I outta leave you here for the Grimm. Taking my mark like that." She had long brown hair and matching eyes. "But… I'm too nice to do that." Giving me a big smile, she put her ax over her shoulder and reached her free hand out to me. Sheathing Shadow Rose, I accepted her offer. There was no way I was getting up by myself.

"Thanks for that. By the way, I wasn't uh, after your _mark_. To be honest I kinda just stumbled onto this place." She laughed at me. Did she think I was lying?

"You sure you're just not lying to get on my good side kid?" Now she was starting to piss me off.

"If you don't believe me just tell who ever hired you that you killed the Empress! It's as easy as that!" Her response? More laughter. The last time I checked, I wasn't a comedian.

"Relax kid, I'm just mess'in with you." In a way, she reminded me of Yang. "But uh, if you weren't here for the Grimm, then why are you out here?" Not having time to play a million questions I started walking towards my goal.

"I'm on my way to Anima. Mistral specifically." Only time would tell if telling her that would bite me in the ass later.

"Mistral huh? Why don't you let me tag along? I'm from Anima, and the person who was going to pay me is on the way anyways." Stopping in my tracks, I looked back at her. If I wasn't so spent from… whatever that was, I would have brushed her off. Having someone as strong as her around wouldn't be a bad idea right now.

"Fine." Turning back around I continued walking. "If you can't keep up though, I'll leave you behind." Hopefully that would get her to walk faster.

"Someone's moody. You do remember that I saved you, right?" Must have slipped my memory. "Now, as much as you probably love being called kid, why don't you tell me your name? My name is Emilela Ettlauer." Stopping once more, I felt a chill go down my spine. We were standing just at the edge of the village. "Whoa. Everything alright?" There was no way. It was just a coincidence Right? Facing her again I felt my blood run cold. "You're kinda giving me the creeps now kid." I had to be sure.

"My name is… Umbra Hart." Her eyes widened and I could tell she was just as shocked as I was.

* * *

Having landed near Mistral, Hector and Tyrian started their search in the Kingdom. If they wanted to know if Ruby had arrived in Mistral yet, Hector knew their first stop had to be at Haven Academy. Reaching the headmasters room Hector looked over to Tyrian.

"Wait here, I'll be right back." As he went to open the door, Hector gave Tyrian one last look. "Oh. And no harassing old women, eh?" The mad faunus only chuckled.

"No promises." Rolling his eyes, Hector opened the door and walked into Lionheart's office. Shutting the door behind him Hector put on a fake smile.

"Leon! It's good to finally meet you!" Leonardo gave Hector a strange look.

"And who might you be? How do you know my name?" He was panicking that he was found out.

"You and I share some mutual friends in high places Leon. Now enough with the small talk. I'm looking for a girl named Ruby Rose. Silver eyes, black and red hair, wears a red cape. Did she enter Mistral?" Now the headmaster understood. This didn't do much to calm him down however.

"No. I haven't seen such a girl." Annoyed, Hector huffed. Walking up to the headmasters desk, he leaned against it.

"You're not lying to me. Are you Leon?" Trying to hid his fear Leonardo straightened his posture. "Because if you're lying to me… I'll find out. Then, I'll let _her_ know." Giving the man a sardonic grin he backed off.

"I'm not lying! I have nothing to gain by lying to you!" Waving the man off Hector walked towards the door.

"I know you wouldn't lie to me Leon. It's just so much fun watching you squirm like that!" Laughing as he left the room, Hector was reunited with his least favorite maniac. "Alright Tyrian, she's not here. Do your thing." Smiling wide, he let out a chuckle of his own.

"You should have let me track her down from the beginning!" Already Hector was regretting his decision. With no other leads though, finding that girl without the help of Tyrian would be impossible.

"Yeah yeah. Just make it quick." As the two men left the Academy Hector lit up another cigarette. The ex-Huntsman's patience was starting to run out.

* * *

"Hey D, do you think Umbra's okay? It's been a long time." While it had only been a few weeks, Alfred was worried about Umbra. "Mantle and Atlas are pretty big places. Not only that, Mantle's not the safest of places." Wanting to put his friend at ease, Damian looked towards the night sky while thinking of what to say.

"Umbra will be fine. He helped me kill that Empress after all." Nodding his head, Alfred looked at their campfire.

"Do you really think that he'll be able to kill Hector?" That was something Damian wasn't certain of. Judging by the way their first fight ended, he had his reservations. Closing his eyes, Damian took a deep breath. Looking back at Alfred he opened his eyes.

"Why don't you get some rest Alfred? There's a storm on the horizon. All of us need to be at our best." Confused, Alfred looked at the sky. Getting up, Damian went to relive Lexi from her shift. Now that he was all alone, he thought about what the future held. For some odd reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was coming.


	24. The Will to Fight

"My name is… Umbra Hart." Her eyes widened and I could tell she was just as shocked as I was. There was no doubt about it now. Seeing her face, I knew for certain now. Pulling my hood down I looked her in the eyes. "Emilela Ettlauer. You're… My mom's sister." My aunt. She quickly walked up to me. Letting out a chuckle she smiled.

"You've grown since we last met. Then again, you were only a baby back then." My mother had mentioned her sister a handful of times, but I never got to truly meet her. "But… What happened to your arm Umbra? What kind of trouble did you get into?"

"I'm alright. Don't you know about anything that's happened?" Now she had a worried look on her face.

"Umbra. What are you talking about?" No. She didn't know. It looked like there was a lot I had to talk to her about.

"I'll tell you on the way. Why don't we start walking?" With that, we were off again. From the village all the way to Anima, I told her of what happened. Everything, well, almost everything. Saying she was pissed off would be an understatement. It turns out that from the beginning she never liked Hector. Hearing about how he basically killed her sister only made that hate stronger. Luckily by the time we reached her house in Anima she had calmed down a little. Now sitting at a table across from each other.

"I never trusted that bastard. I'm sorry you were forced to grow up with that scum Umbra." There was nothing she could have done. Living out in the wild by herself, she didn't really keep up with the rest of the world. "Let me come with you to Mistral. There's no way you could beat Hector on your own. With my help he's done for." As much as I wanted her help, I couldn't accept it. In order to make up for some of the things I've done, I had to be the one to kill Hector.

"No. I… I can do it." Though in the end, I was being selfish by turning down her offer. "All I need to do is fully figure out how to use my Semblance." Emilela looked confused.

"Umbra, Hector is much stronger then you. He took your arm for crying out loud!" Gripping at the missing appendage, the memory of Hector slicing my arm off resurfaced. "Even if you inherited your mothers Semblance, he killed her. There's no way you can beat him on your own."

"That's not true." Emilela saw me kill the Empress. That power I was using, was my mothers Semblance. Though it was corrupted by the Semblance I inherited from my father. At least, that's what I thought. Standing up I let go of the stump that use to be my left arm. "Not only do I have my mothers Semblance, but his too. On top of that I know how he fights. If you teach me how to use my mothers Semblance, I can kick his ass once and for all." Sighing, Emilela crossed her arms. Looking up at me she had a conflicted look on her face. "I need this Emilela. I've come this far, please don't take this away from me." Standing up as well, she looked me in the eyes.

"Fine. But the first thing you do after killing Hector, come back here. That way, I know that you're okay." I understood how she felt. She didn't want to lose anymore family.

"I'll come right back. I promise." Smiling, she walked over to me and pat my shoulder.

"Alright then, let's get to training." With her training, and after I killed Hector, I could forget everything the bastard taught me.

All day we trained. Since Emilela lived in the norther part of Anima, it was still cold and snow covered the ground.

"Come on Umbra, ya gotta be faster then that!" For someone who carried around such a giant ax, I couldn't believe how fast she was. Just like how Damian was able to run around with that giant Zweihänder of his. "Hector's gonna run laps around you!" Up above the sun was finally starting to go down and night took days place in the sky. Just what I was waiting for. Gripping Shadow Rose tight I slipped into the shadows. Popping in and out of reality it was her turn to try and keep up with me. In the end though she managed to surprise me by using the opposite end of her ax to hit me. This gave her the win, 3 hits to my 2.

"You did pretty good at the end there Umbra. But you need to be more than pretty good if you're going to fight Hector. He is a fully trained Huntsman after all." She didn't need to remind me. "Now, I'm going to tell you a secret about your mothers Semblance." Sheathing Shadow Rose I paid full attention to what she was about to say. "It's true that while in a desperate situation it can flair up. That's unreliable though and could get you killed." Could that be what saved me at Beacon? "If you really want to control your mothers half of your Semblance all you need to do is focus on someone important to you. Something like taking Hector down isn't good enough." Looking down at Lunar Eclipse, I put my hand on it's hilt. "One of the downsides was your mom had to be in the light to use it. Some of our old friends use to call her the 'Warrior of Light'." I couldn't argue on that one.

"That sounds easy enough. Is there anything else I should know?" Putting a hand up to her chin, she was deep in thought.

"OH! Make sure you don't strain yourself too hard. If you do, you'll end up hurting yourself more than the enemy. I'm not certain, but it might even kill you so watch it alright?" From the beginning all that mattered was killing Hector. Even if it kills me in the process… "Now why don't you practice? Once I know you've got the hang of it, we'll spar one last time to make sure you can use it properly." Alright. It was time to start the second half of my training. Hopefully Damian and the others didn't think I died in Atlas.

* * *

Moving through the forests of Mistral, Tyrian had finally managed to track the silver eyed brat. Hector and him had stopped at a Tavern along the way. Putting on his signature charm, Hector was able to get a waitress to point them in the right direction. As they left though, Hector was in a bad mood. Not just because he had ran out of cigarettes, but because the direction she sent them was where they had come from. At some point, they had passed each other.

"Hector, I can see the girl." For the first time, they psycho was able to get a smile out of Hector.

"Alright! Let's get in there then." Due to the overcast weather, Hector would be able to use his Semblance.

"Not so fast. I believe they might have someone tailing them." Going through a roller coaster of emotions, Hector was now annoyed. Then a plan came to mind.

"There's a village up ahead. We can hit them there. You lure out this fifth person while I deal with the kid." Laughing his usual laugh, the faunus was just glad to be able to finally kill someone. Speeding ahead of the group Hector picked a spot to hide high above on one of the farther buildings. While he wouldn't be able to hear, all he needed was to see. When the group ran into the village, Hector looked over at the mad faunus. Letting loose a few laughs, he set to work.

Once Tyrian had intercepted the group of four, he noticed that the faunus wasn't really trying. In their fight no one was getting anywhere. For once, he actually listened. The closest they got was when the one wielding the hammer tossed him into a building. But even that didn't harm Tyrian. Then, when his target had shot her own teammate Hector couldn't help but laugh. It didn't last long though as she seemed to be unharmed. If anything, the orange haired girl looked powered up. That was… Interesting. Something to note for later. After almost getting hit, Tyrian started to take the fight more seriously and actually started landing hits. Angry that this mystery person still didn't show up, Hector started to tap his foot.

When they finally showed their face however, Hector put on a big smile. If it wasn't his old drinking buddy. Qrow. Once Tyrian had managed to break Qrow off from the group, Hector moved in. Walking up to the group slowly he still had the smile on his face.

"Ruby Rose! At last! I've been looking for you for quite sometime now!" Spreading his arms out wide Hector stopped walking. Assuming that the man in front of them was allied with the person who had just attacked them, the rest of the group once again guarded Ruby.

"Who are you guys!? Why are you after Ruby!?" It was the blond haired kid that spoke up.

"That's none of your concern. Now. Step aside, little boy." Raising his hand, Hector gripped onto Decimation. "Or else you might just get hurt." When none of them backed down he unsheathed his blade. "Just remember. I warned you." Speeding forward with his Semblance Hector kicked at the blond's shield. Zipping away from the hammer strike sent his way, Hector got behind the guy with black hair. With a strong slash he broke the kids Aura and sent him crashing into the blonde. Slipping behind the orange haired girl he tripped her with Decimation before delivering a Helm Breaker that sent her crashing to the ground. With everyone now down and out, he focused his attention on Ruby. Smiling, he approached the girl.

"Do you want to know who I am Ruby?" Ruby was doing her best to back away. She had a terrified expression on her face. "I am Hector. Hector Hart." Eye's widening, Ruby knew exactly who he was now. "You knew my son. Umbra. Your probably thinking to yourself as to why I used past tense. Aren't you?" Hector's smile grew even wider. "It's simple really. I killed him. My own son. He was so weak. Embarrassingly so. I'm glad he's gone now." He was enjoying every minute of this. "You want to know another thing? As he bled out, he called for you. He yelled out your name, Ruby!" Letting out a dark laugh, Ruby was starting to tear up. "Help me Ruby!"

"Stop. Please…" Each step towards the cowering girl filled his heart with glee.

"I'm sorry Ruby, help me please! Help me! He cried and cried!" Not able to take anymore, Ruby felt a familiar power rise up from her. "I need you Ruby! Help m-" Interrupting Hector, Ruby's silver eyes activated. "What the fuck!"

* * *

Spending most of the night training, I finally managed to activate the other half of my Semblance. It took time, but eventually I was able to trigger it on command. It wasn't until the next night that Emilela and I would be able to spar though. Both of us needed sleep. When the time finally came to spar her, my heart raced. If I wasn't able to beat her, I wouldn't be able to take on Hector.

"Ready Umbra?" She got into her stance. Unsheathing Shadow Rose, I got into mine.

"As I'll ever be." Staring at each other before rushing in, both of us waited for the other to make the first move. When she didn't budge, I took the lead. Slipping into the shadows I got up close to her. Before showing myself, I activated the second half of my Semblance. Gaining a boost in both strength and speed, I surprised her when she tried to swing at me but only hit air. With two clean swings I managed to land the first two hits within seconds of each other. Feeling on top of the world, I moved in to get the final hit in. This led to me getting smacked aside. That's what I got for getting confident… After bringing myself back down, I managed to get the third hit in easy. The final score was my 3 to her 1.

"Would ya look at that. I think that was the fastest I ever lost to someone. You've got your mothers Semblance alright." After sheathing Shadow Rose I looked down at my open palm. Knowing that I wasn't entirely my fathers son comforted me. In a way, part of her was always with me. Balling my hand up into a fist, I looked up at the stars.

"This means I can leave now. Right?" Looking back down at Emiilela, she nodded her head.

"Just remember. Straight back here. Alright? I'm not losing anyone else to that bastard." She wouldn't have to worry about that. Hector was as good as dead now.

"Don't worry Emilela, I'll be back." Giving her a hug goodbye, I set off. If I was being honest, knowing that someone my mom was related to was still alive made me feel better. Meeting Emilela was just the thing I needed. Not only was I stronger now, but it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

"If you die, I'll kill you a second time!" Chuckling to myself, I shook my head. Waving as I left I couldn't wait to meet back up with Damian, Alfred and Lexi.

* * *

"FuckfuckfuckfuckfuckFUCK!" Punching a tree, Hector was ready to kill someone. That silver eyed brat had nearly blinded him. During that time, all of them were able to escape. Due to his immense anger, he was drawing in a lot of Grimm. Tyrian was having the time of his life ripping into all those that showed up. Floating over to Hector was a Seer Grimm.

"Hector. You are to pause your current mission. You're needed at Haven. We've acquired the Spring Maiden and are ready to move forward." Growling, Hector did his best to pull himself together. If only he had a pack of cigarettes still…

"Fine. Tyrian! Get your ass over here, missions off for now!" Running a hand through his hair, he looked over to see the crowd he had drew. "Ah. Never mind then. Actually, why don't you get out of the way, I need to work off some steam. Go get us a Bullhead or something ready." Disappointed that he didn't get to have anymore fun, Tyrian set off. Unsheathing Decimation, Hector grinned. Lighting Decimation ablaze he jumped into the crowd. Slicing through the horde of Grimm he didn't let anything slow him down. Knowing that the group was heading towards Mistral anyway, Hector knew he still had time to kill that girl. Soon enough, he'd get his chance.


	25. Destiny

Arriving in Mistral I couldn't believe how different the place was to the other Kingdoms I had been to. It felt like I was out of place walking around. Not having a set destination made things even worse. Damian said to meet them in Mistral, but not where exactly. Eventually I stumbled upon an arcade and walked through the rows of cabinets. None of them really caught my eye. That was until I found one that was out of order. Looking up at it's name, I saw that it was Immortal Blade. Walking up to the machine I stared at it for awhile. Pressing the attack button a few times, I sighed.

"Excuse me…" Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I turned around. Three hooded figures stood behind me. It was Damian, Alfred and Lexi. "Could we speak outside?"

"Lead the way." Meeting back up with them, I felt relieved. Walking around Mistral all by myself was starting to make me feel anxious. Together all four of us made our way out of Mistral and towards what was most likely their campsite. I have no idea what they could've learned while I was off training. Hopefully it was something that would lead me to Hector.

"It's been awhile guys." Now that we were outside of Mistral we were safe to speak more freely. The chances of there being any prying ears around were reduced.

"Yeah, it's good to see you Umbra! I thought something bad happened." Alfred was the first to speak up.

"Where have you been? If you were any slower you would have missed all the fun!" The next one say something was Lexi.

"It's… Good to see you guys as well." Reaching their camp, I lowered my hood. "As to where I've been… I… I went off and trained more for a bit." Alfred and Lexi followed my lead and lowered their hoods as well.

"That makes sense. Something feels different about you." Knowing that in the past I would have argued with him about that, I knew something about me was different. Was it because I unlocked my mothers side of my Semblance?

"So, before I forget to ask, what's this 'fun' that Lexi was talking about?" Alfred and Lexi sat down while Damian looked over at me.

"What happened at Beacon is going to happen again. After using my Semblance on a Lieutenant of the White Fang I was able to figure out when." That was something I had never learned about. Damian's Semblance. I had an idea, but I wasn't certain.

"When do we get the honor of playing the hero role?" If Haven was going to be attacked, Hector would for sure show himself.

"Tonight." Great. I meet up with them, and the first thing we get to do together is save an entire Kingdom. How hard could that be?

"Really? Damn. I barely get anytime to rest. If that's the case, do you at least know if Hector's going to be here?" After Hector was dead I'd worry about any Grimm, White Fang or whatever else they were going to throw at Mistral.

"He will." Straight to the point. That was one of my favorite things about Damian. Knowing all I need to know, I went to sit down. "Before we all rest, would you come with me for a minute Umbra? There's something I would like to talk to you about." That was out of nowhere.

"Alright. Where to?" Following Damian, we reached an overlook. From where we were, we could watch over Mistral.

"There something I wanted to confirm before we go to battle." Touching my shoulder, he was using his Semblance. Was his Semblance the ability to read minds? "Hector will be in the Grand Hall. Other then him, there will be four women and two men on his side. It would also seem that the Headmaster is on their side." Great. As if a corrupted Huntsman wasn't enough. "His main target before you arrive is a girl wearing a red cape with silver eyes." Red cape? Silver eyes? What was Ruby doing all the way out here? Also, now I knew for certain what his Semblance was. He could read a persons future. If only he was around back then…

"Is that everything?" Holding my shoulder for awhile longer, Damian made a weird face. That couldn't be good.

"That's… As far as I can see. Yes." That was odd. It probably felt weird if he didn't end the vision or whatever properly. "From what I could see, Haven will be safe. Thank you Umbra."

"You don't need to thank me. I should be thanking you Damian." Knowing where to find Hector was enough for me. All I had to do now was find the Grand Hall. Wherever that might be. Looking over Mistral, I tried to see if I could guess what building it was.

"Actually Umbra. There's something else I would like to tell you. My name isn't Damian. That was my fathers name. My real name is Yuki." So all this time he was hiding his real identity. "If you wish to call me by my real name, I only ask that you do so only in front of Alfred and Lexi."

"Yeah. Don't worry about it." Whatever reasons he had, I'd make sure to stand by his wish.

"You're probably getting sick of me by now, but I have one more question for you Umbra. Do you have any family or loved ones left? The only family I have left is in Atlas." Before I met Emilela, I thought I was all alone.

"I do. Right here in Anima as well." For awhile longer we both stood overlooking Mistral. No matter what happened, my upcoming fight with Hector would be my last. There was nothing that could get in my way this time. Having awakened the full extent of my Semblance, there would be no excuse.

"Why don't we get back to the others? There's still a few hours before sunset." Glancing over at Yuki, I sent him a quick nod. When we got back, Alfred was cooking something over a fire. I was glad that Alfred was such a good cook, because I needed something to calm me down. As each hour ticked by I grew more and more anxious. Watching the last shreds of lights disappear over the horizon, I knew it was time.

"Umbra." Looking over, I saw that it was Yuki that called out to me. "No matter what happens, don't lose focus… Don't let anyone slow you down."

"I won't." Giving the group a thumbs up, I vanished into the night. Speeding down the streets of Mistral I made my way up to Haven. Searching for the Grand Hall, I stumbled onto Ruby and a group of her friends. Not wanting to be seen by them as I was technically a criminal now, I hid. Yuki had said that Ruby would be there, so all I had to do was follow them. Out of all the people present, the only people I didn't recognize was the tan kid and the guy that looked like a Huntsman.

Trailing behind them, I watched as they entered a building. For a brief moment I panicked. Would I be able to face them again? What was I talking about. Since when did I care about what Huntsmen thought about me? Just as I was about to make my move, someone else walked up and entered the building. When they had entered, then I moved in. For as long as possible I wanted to keep the element of surprise on my side. Seeing as there were no windows, I wouldn't be keeping it for that long. Reaching the door, I hesitated. I was… Nervous. Scared. This was it. I couldn't doubt myself now. Any insecurities I had left had to be cast aside. Grabbing onto Shadow Rose, I unsheathed my blade and kicked the door open. This caused some of those present to look over at me. Reactions were all over the place, but I didn't care about that. All that mattered, was Hector.

"Hector! I'm here to put an end to this!" Marching into the room I flourished Shadow Rose and pointed it his way. Seeing my challenge, he stopped what he was doing.

"Umbra!? You're alive!?" Ruby yelled out to me. Like Yuki had said, I didn't let her distract me. Walking past Ruby, Hector made his way towards me.

"So you lived huh? You don't look that much different either. I thought that after falling off that ship, you'd at least lose another limb." He was smiling. Trying to taunt me. I wasn't going to let his words get to me. Getting into my new stance, I watched as he got into his. "What? No come back? Nothing?" This was it. This was really it.

Rushing forward we clashed swords. In order to use my Semblance I had to think fast. Inside the Grand Hall, light surrounded us. I wouldn't be able to use it in here. As we clashed blades I knew he was holding back. The bastard was underestimating me…

"Quit holding back you bastard! I'm not a child anymore!" As Hector laughed we clashed blades once more. He used enough strength to send me skidding back.

"I don't think that's such a good idea Umbra. Are you sure that's what you want." Hardening my gaze, I raised Shadow Rose. "Very well, but you're going to regret this!" Putting his hand out, the lights went out. Everything was dark. Using my Semblance, I was confused when my vision didn't return. Feeling a boot press up against my back, he kicked me across the room. "You see Umbra. You only inherited _part_ of my Semblance. The part that allows me to travel through the dark." Standing back up I faced the direction from where he was talking. "Do you want to know what I'm fully capable of?" Slashing to my right I hit nothing but air. "Not only can I travel through the darkness…" Slashing left gave me the same result. Nothing. "I control it too!" At the last minute I managed to block his next attack. Decimation was dangerously close to my face. Activating my power boost I managed to get the upper hand for a split second. Then, he vanished behind me. With a powerful strike he sent me face first into the ground. My vision was back now, and I could see that the other's fight's were going about just as well.

"Get up Umbra…" Gripping Shadow Rose tight I grit my teeth. "Come on. You can do it…" Standing up I turned to face Hector. In one hand he held Decimation, in the other, he held a shadow version of my old sword. "You actually managed to do it. I guess that means you aren't quite broken yet." Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Nora launched someone. The force of the impact sent them flying outside. That was it! My chance to fight on equal footing! The only problem was… How did I get us out there? The answer hit me in the face. As in, Hector struck me with the shadow version of my old sword. The strength he used was enough to send me flying outside. Hitting the guy that Nora had sent out previously I didn't waste anytime in getting away from him.

"Sorry about that Hazel! You forgive me, right!?" Using both sides of my Semblance was too much. So instead I settled for the power boost. Speeding towards Hector I hit him hard enough to push him back a bit. "Would you look at that…" His smile was slowly going away. Turning the dial up a notch I put even more strength behind my attacks.

Our attacks were getting faster and I could tell Hector was starting to take me more seriously. He wasn't treating me as a child anymore, but a fully fledged Hunter. Wanting to get away from Ruby and the others before they finished their fights I did my best to lead us away from the Grand Hall. Once I was happy with how much distance I put between us, I dialed my strength up even higher. Now I was really starting to feel the pain. It was almost like our fight in Atlas. Rushing Hector I surprised him with an attack from behind. Now I was the one that controlled the fight. Or at least I would have if the pain didn't get to me. Dropping to my knee I let out a gasp. I pushed myself to far. Laughing, Hector walked up to me. Kicking Shadow Rose out of my hand he put Decimation under my chin and forced me to look at him.

"Well Umbra. I have no use for you anymore. Got any last words before I gut you and then go kill your girlfriend?" Come on, there had to be something I could do. I had to stall him.

"She's… Not… My… Girlfriend." Get up. Come on! Don't let it turn out like last time!

"Come on Umbra, I'm your dad. I'm just teasing! Now. Hold still…" Get up dammit! Reeling back Hector prepared to plunge Decimation forward. When he did I closed my eyes. Instead of getting impaled though, I felt something splash over me.

"Looks like… I made it…" No… Opening my eyes, I looked on in horror as I saw who took the blow for me. Yuki. "Finish this… Umbra…" Why… Why didn't he tell me… Why did he lie to me!?

"Looks like I missed, a stupid animal got in the way. Oh well." Kicking Yuki off of Decimation he readied himself for a second strike. Feeling something inside me snap, I shot forward. Unsheathing Lunar Eclipse I deflected his attack. Kicking his chest I gave myself some room. Shaking in anger, I did my best to ignore the pain racing through my body.

"You… How dare you!" Moving fast enough to almost make me sick I slashed at Hector. He called Yuki nothing more then an animal. He was going to pay. Using his Semblance for the second time he covered our arena in darkness. Once more, I wasn't able to see. "Hide all you want coward! Just know, that no matter what you do, I'm going to kill you!" Everything that was good in my life, he took from me. My mother. My dreams. And now my friend. Waiting for him to make the first move, I stood firm in the darkness. Sensing someone behind me I acted. Dodging his downward slice I responded with a slash. Feeling my hit connect I chased after him. "For Damian, Alfred and Lexi!" Slashing more, each of my hits connected. "For Barry, Mary and Cherry!" Each name I called out powered me further. "Even for Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang!" In the darkness, I could feel someone touch my shoulder. Holding Lunar Eclipse firm, I raised the katana and entered my stance. "For all of them, I! Will! Kill you!" Charging forward I used all my strength to slash at Hector. Flying back, he broke through the pitch black prison. When I could see again, I noticed that I had broke Lunar Eclipse. Only a small portion of the blade remained.

"This isn't right! How are you beating me! I'm fuck'in Hector Hart! Hector! Hart! No one's stronger than me!" Pressing the advantage I watched as he backed away from me. Clutching his wounded stomach, he dropped Decimation. Dropping Lunar Eclipse, I picked his blade up. "Umbra, wait, please! Listen to me!" I wasn't interested in _anything_ he had to say. "I didn't want to do it! She made me! I… I tried to protect you Umbra!" Stopping, I was standing a few feet away from him. "Yeah. She… She made me. The Queen! She said she'd kill you if I didn't do it Umbra! All I wanted, was to keep you safe! Now, come on. What do you say we get out of here? We'll start over, away from all this shit. I'll be a real dad this time." He wanted to protect me? Loosening the grip on Decimation slightly, there was a gunshot. Using my Semblance to slip into the shadows, I reappeared in front of Hector and drove his own sword through him.

"You're a terrible liar old man." Before he could shoot again, I snatched the gun from his hand. It was my mothers. Fate. He tried to kill me with my mothers own weapon.

"You… What are… You going… To do now… Your still… A criminal… Killing me… Doesn't change that…" He was right about one thing at least. Just because I killed someone who was as despised as Hector doesn't mean they'd let me off the hook. Stepping away from him, he was pinned to a building with Decimation.

"At first. I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Killing you was the only thing that mattered to me. But now, I have a new goal in mind." Twirling my mothers gun Fate around I looked Hector in the eyes. "There are plenty of bastards just like you out there. I'm going to hunt down every single one of them. No matter who they are, Hunter or otherwise." Catching Fate, I pointed the barrel of the gun at Hector. "You said there are no such thing as Hero's? Well. If that's true, then I'll just have to take that burden onto myself. If people despise me for doing what's right, then that's their decision!" Hector screamed one last time as I pulled the trigger. And with that… I had done it. I… Finally did it. Pocketing Fate, I went to retrieve Lunar Eclipse. Falling onto my knees, I picked what remained of it up. Looking up into the night sky, I watched the stars above. "Thank you… Carmine."

* * *

**Well. That's it. The end. It's been a long time coming. It's hard to believe I published this version of Umbral Shadow two months ago. Even harder to believe that the original was four months ago. There's still some things I want to write, but I'm not sure if I could do any of them justice. Only time will tell really. Hmm? What's that? You want just a little bit more? Hmmm... You know what? Fine. Why not? Before I go I want to give a huge thanks to everyone that read this far. Doesn't matter if you reviewed or followed or favorited, just knowing people read my story is enough for me. Until next time, whenever that may be, have a good one and stay safe!**

* * *

"Well Umbra, that should be it. Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer?" Picking up the weapon Emilela placed on the table, I shook my head.

"I'm sure Emilela. There's a world full of creeps out there. There's now way I could sit around knowing that." Looking over the blade, I could tell she did a good job.

"So. What are ya gonna name it?" That was an easy one.

"I'm going to name it… Isabel." With what was left of Lunar Eclipse, I asked Emilela if she could save it. Unfortunately the guard was cracked along with the broken blade. The only original part of the weapon left was it's hilt.

"Isabel huh? Well, I'm not one to judge. My ax's name is Magella after all." Sheathing Isabel I went over and gave Emilela a hug. "If you're ever around, stop on by. Alright? I can't promise I'll be around, but I'll try my best to be here if you need me."

"I will Emilela. Stay safe." Ruffling my hair, she laughed. Walking out the door, I sighed. A new chapter of my life had just begun. Before I could start walking, something hit me in the face. Wiping snow off of my face, I looked at the only two suspects.

"Alright, which one of you asshole's did that!" Pointing at each other, Alfred and Lexi were trying to push the blame on the other.

"That would be me Umbra." Stepping past the two bickering siblings, Yuki revealed himself to be the offender.

"Oh really? In that case, it's war!" Scooping a handful of snow, I threw it towards him. Running around the four of us were laughing as we threw snowballs at each other. In my case I just threw snow. Having one arm and all. Midway through the three faunus turned their focus onto me. Getting pelted by all three of them I threw my arm up. "Hey! Wait a minute, I've got one arm! Come on guys, stop it! You're picking on a guy with only one arm! One arm!" Whatever happened next, the four of us would be ready for it.

* * *

From the distance, two figures watched as Umbra and his friends played. The taller of the two was smoking a cigar. Taking one last puff from it, he flicked the cigar away. Looking over at his smaller companion he put his hand on their shoulder.

"If I recall, I ordered you to kill him." His voice was deep and gravely. Not looking down at his partner, the man squeezed the smaller ones shoulder. "So why is it… That he's still breathing?" Unblinking, the smaller figure kept their gaze focused forward. Sighing, the man let his companion's shoulder go. "Looks like it falls upon me to clean this mess up. Let's go." As the man turned to leave, the smaller one kept watching. Their blue eyes watched the four friends. Unblinking.


	26. Bonus 1

Watching as countless Grimm poured out of the Bullheads that had landed, I now knew what Cinder's plan was. While I was slightly annoyed at being left out of the loop, I was more happy that I could finally let loose. Cinder had told me to cause chaos. So. I did just that. Unsheathing Lunar Eclipse, I looked for Hunters that were alone, or busy fending off a Grimm of some kind. Picking my first target, I spotted some Huntsman running from an Ursa. Using my Semblance, I appeared in front of them. Sending a kick to their gut, I sent them right into the Ursa's claws. His weapon was too big and clumsy to free himself. Before he could be fully ripped to shreds, one of his teammates showed up. Not letting him reach his friend, I stood in his path. Trading slashes with the Hunter, I was the one that came out on top. After breaking his Aura, I delivered the final blow. Done here, I moved onto my next target.

Most of the Hunters I ran into were pure trash. I don't know if it was because they were panicking or what, but they didn't put up much of a fight. Especially those that were on their own. Every now and then I'd run into a semi-competent team, but it just ended the same way. With their blood spilling onto the pavement. After awhile, I ran into a couple of familiar faces. Three to be exact. They were fighting off a group of various kinds of Grimm. Killing them with the help of the Grimm would only be a hollow victory. If I was going to kill them, I didn't want there to be any outside influence. Using my Semblance, I cleared the area of Grimm. When I was done, the people they were protecting ran off.

"Umbra?" It would seem Silver remembered me. Turning to face him, I lacked any emotion in my face. "You just… Uh… Thank yo-" He had nothing to say that I wanted to hear. Slipping into the shadows I appeared in front of him and attacked. "Shit!" Throwing him off guard, he wasn't expecting me to attack. Steel, Iron and their fourth member immediately got into formation. Because of their fight with the Grimm, I knew their Aura levels were low. All it took to break the Aura of Silvers friends was a single attack each. When they were exposed, I made sure that Silver was watching as I killed them one by one. Now, it was just me. And Silver. With a flourish, I cleaned my blade of any blood that was on it. Once I was done, I pointed Lunar Eclipse at Silver.

Judging by the look on his face, he didn't know how to feel. He was sad, scared and angry all at once. Good. Slowly walking up to him, I lowered my sword down to my side. Silver raised his brass knuckles and got into a boxers stance. Not that it would do him any good…

In a blink, I was in front of him. Slashing multiple times, his Aura broke before I was finished. Stumbling back, he grasped at the gash in his chest. With one more swing of Lunar Eclipse, I sliced him wide open. For years I had been wanting to do that. With my impromptu revenge completed, I made my way towards one of the buildings of Beacon. If I was lucky, I could pick off any Hunters that tried to flee.

When I arrived near Ozpin's tower, I ran into even more familiar faces. A certain annoyance of mine and snobby brat were planning something. Whatever it was, I wasn't going to allow them to go through with it. Slipping into the shadows, I put myself between Ruby and whatever it was she was going to do.

"Umbra! I'm glad you're here! Can you use your Semblance to reach the top of the tower? Pyrrha needs help!" Until the very end, she was nothing but annoying. Sheathing Lunar Eclipse, I held onto the sheathe with my left hand. My right hand hovered over the swords grip.

"If you want to help Pyrrha, then you're going to have to get through me first." Widening her eyes, Ruby looked surprised. It was almost as if she didn't see this coming. Weiss however took no time in preparing her rapier.

"What are you talking about Umbra? This isn't the time to be kidding around!" Ruby was still living in that stupid fantasy world of hers. She just couldn't accept the fact that I wasn't who she thought I was.

"Ruby. He's not joking… I knew from the very beginning that you were nothing but scum!" Weiss understood me better then anyone on that team. Looking at her partner, then back to me, Ruby looked hurt. That was her own fault, she let herself get hurt by refusing to live in reality. Not wanting to waste anymore time, I figured now would be the perfect opportunity to test out my Iaido skills. Not only was Ruby fast, but Weiss was no slouch either with that rapier of hers. Together, they would prove to be more challenging then any of the trash I had killed tonight.

Using my Semblance I appeared behind Weiss. She was farther back, and I wanted to keep both of them in my field of view at all times. If one of them managed to get the slip on me, that would be bad news. Unsheathing my blade just like I trained, I sent a slash towards Weiss. After getting a hit in on Weiss, Ruby attacked me while I was recovering from my swing.

"I don't want to fight you Umbra!" Too bad, because I wanted nothing more then to fight you. Trying to throw her off, I spun as if I was going to attack only to slip into the shadows. Appearing above Ruby, I brought my blade down to deliver a helm breaker. Flooring Ruby, I had to spin in order to deflect a jab sent my way from Weiss. Kicking her back, I unsheathed Solar Eclipse and slipped behind her. Slicing at her Aura with both Solar and Lunar Eclipse I sent her tumbling into Ruby. Before I could follow up with another attack, someone had thrown something at me. Using my Semblance to dodge, I recognized the weapon. A Khukuri. Damian and his friends were here.

While I was distracted with the knife, Alfred appeared before me and sent a flurry of slashed at me with his twin sabers. Managing to get away from him, I was sent flying back from an attack from a giant two handed sword. How didn't I hear them coming?

"That's enough Umbra. Cease your attack now, or me and my friends will force you to." Standing between me and the brats was none other then Damian. Someone who I had almost allied myself with. Standing up, I sneered at him. He was protecting Huntresses. Standing as well, Ruby and Weiss were now on their feet. It was five against one.

"Get out of my way Damian! If you don't, I'll just kill the three of you as well!" None of them budged an inch.

"Umbra, why are you doing this!? Why did you attack me and Weiss!?" I couldn't stand that stupid voice of hers any longer. It was as if her sole reason for living was to annoy the shit out of me. Getting back into my stance, I got down low. Before either of us could attack however, blasts of fire were sent towards those in front of me. Shooting my head towards the direction the fire blasts came from, I saw that the person helping me was none other then Cinder. Somehow, she was able to shoot fire from her hands.

"You've done some good work here today Umbra. But I believe it's time to stop playing around. Let's go." She was right. As much as I wanted to put the Hunters of Beacon Academy in their place, I still had a target in mind. Standing back up, I kept a hold on my sheathe but I lowered my right arm.

"Fine. It was getting boring here anyway." Walking back to Cinder, I let her get us out of this. Blasting away those standing in front of us, a Bullhead landed behind us. Boarding the Bullhead, I noticed that Emerald and Mercury were already onboard. After Cinder was finished pushing back the resistance, she joined us. With everyone here, we took off. Flying off, we left behind the ashes that were once Beacon Academy.

"You've proved to be a valuable asset Umbra. You preformed quite well. I'm glad that my faith in you wasn't misplaced."Looking over at Cinder I stood up.

"I don't know what your groups end goal is. And honestly, I really don't care. As long as you help me kill Eliza, you can do whatever you want." Walking over to her, I stopped halfway. Crossing her arms Cinder smiled. Her amber eyes glowed.

"You have no worries then. After all, it was a part of our deal. Once you've met with my employer, we can make a quick trip to Atlas." Going back to my seat, I was glad to finally be out of that prison. No longer would I be surrounded by those arrogant assholes. They could play pretend all they wanted, but I knew what their true intentions were. Even if everyone else was fooled by them, I wouldn't allow myself to be. Gazing over to my new 'friends', I still didn't know how to feel about them. Cinder had a smug look on her face, Mercury looked bored and Emerald was giving me a weird look. I had a feeling she didn't fully trust me yet. As she should. If they were to cross me I wouldn't think twice to betray them. In this world, the only one you could really trust… Was yourself…


	27. Bonus 2

Walking through the dark castle, the only sounds that could be heard were the clacking of Cinder's heels. The entire place made me feel… Uneasy. At the same time I couldn't be happier to be with people that didn't run their mouths all the time. I'd take Cinder as an ally over Ruby any day. Soon enough we entered a giant room where the walls were lined with windows. At the center of the room was a giant table. Some more lackey's were seated around the table. At the very end stood a women. The only person it could have been was Cinder's boss. When we got close enough, she spoke.

"Umbra. It's nice to finally meet you. My name is Salem. I've been monitoring you for quite sometime now." Crossing my arms, I looked the pale woman in her red and black eyes. The eyes of a Grimm… "The reason you've caught my eye is simple really. It's because of who your parents were." I took a few steps towards her. At a time like this, I couldn't afford to look weak.

"That attack on Beacon? Quite frankly, it was diabolical. I wish your underling would have kept me in the loop." The deathly pale women stood unflinching. "But…" Uncrossing my arms, I put my hands in my pockets. "If you know who my parents are, then you know that my father was a piece of shit. Along with every other Hunter and fake protector out there." Circling back to Cinder I pulled the lighter out of my left pocket. While Cinder was trying to keep a straight face, I could tell she didn't appreciate what I just got done saying.

"What exactly are you getting at Umbra?" For someone that was meant to be a leader, she was pretty slow to catch on. Opening the lighter in my hand, I flicked it on.

"What I'm trying to say Salem is…" After staring at the flame for a moment, I snapped the lighter shut. "I don't give a shit about your goals. Whatever you have planned… I'm not interested. The world isn't what I thought it was when I was growing up. So long as you help me kill Eliza, I'll do whatever you want." That was the complete truth. Once Eliza was dead I couldn't care less about what happened to the world. And judging by the people present in this room, I knew it couldn't be anything good. As I put the lighter back into my pocket, Cinder touched my shoulder. Flinching at the contact I backed up a few steps.

"I see… What you want can be easily arranged Umbra. Whenever you're ready, I'll allow you to go after Eliza." The ride here was enough rest for me.

"I'm ready to go now." The longer this was drawn out, the more anxious I would get. "Also, I want Cinder and her underlings to come with. Emerald more so then Mercury, but I wouldn't want to separate the two lovebirds." Real smart Umbra. You come in, borderline badmouth this Salem woman and act like you own the place. It was like I was asking to be killed.

"If that's the case then feel free to depart. I just have one last thing to tell you Umbra." Salem's Grimm eyes bore into me. "I don't tolerate failure. Now that you've proven yourself, I expect you to operate at that same level at all times. Understand?" Nodding my head I gave her a quick 'Yes Ma'am'. With Cinder and her group in tow, we were off again already.

"Gotta say Umbra. At first, I didn't know what to think about you. But after witnessing that? I'm impressed. You've got my approval." Sitting in the same Bullhead we used to escape Beacon, I was toying with the lighter I had. "No one talks to Salem so brazenly like that." The only thing that could make this trip better, was if Mercury would shut up.

"Are you kidding me!? Don't encourage him like that! The next time, we might not be so lucky!" Out of the two of them, I liked Emerald better. She didn't like me, and she didn't try to pretend otherwise.

"Relax Emerald. I'm just try'na make the new guy feel welcome. That's all." With Cinder piloting the Bullhead, she wasn't able to shut them up. Snapping the lighter in my hand closed, I looked over to the duo.

"You should listen to your girlfriend." Emerald shot me a nasty look while Mercury chuckled. "I'm not either of your fiends. Nor do I have any intentions of becoming friends with you." Opening my lighter again, I flicked it on. "For what it's worth, I can at least stand being around you. Seeing as how none of you are Hunters." For now that seemed to shut them up. Opening the lighter back up, I flicked it back on. Watching the tiny flame from the lighter dance, memories from that night came flooding back to me. The heat and crackling of the fire, the light breeze from the wind.

Before long, we arrived in Atlas. More accurately, as close to Atlas as we could get. Thanks to the mess that was Beacon the rest of the Kingdoms went on high alert. So to make up for it Cinder had to hover high above. The plan was to have me drop in with the use of my Semblance.

"So we know how Umbra's getting down, but how is everyone else suppose to get down there?" Emerald had a fair point. While Cinder could just leave the Bullhead to auto-hover and use her… Powers to get down, that would still leave out Mercury.

"I think I have a plan. But you're not going to like it." In order to carry out my plan, some testing would need to be done. "Bringing Mercury and Cinder along would only increase our chances of being spotted." As if speaking her name summoned her, Cinder stepped out of the cockpit.

"What do you mean we're not going to like it?" Emerald had a confused look on her face. Standing up I closed and pocketed my lighter. Stretching my arms I walked over to the duo.

"I meant you specifically Emerald. You're going to drop into Atlas with me." Eye's going wide, Emerald's confused look turned into one of shock.

"What!? You can't be serious! How am I supposed to get down there with you!" Since Emerald didn't like me, getting her to agree with my plan would be difficult.

"My plan is simple. The two of us are going to jump out of the Bullhead. When we get close enough, I'll activate my Semblance so we don't turn into a stain on the ground. Cinder can land the Bullhead off somewhere outside Mantle. Once you've landed the Bullhead Cinder, you and Mercury meet us in Mantle. I don't know anything about Atlas or Mantle, so it's up to you to decide on a meeting point." One major point in my plan I left out, was that I didn't know if I could bring someone else with me when using my Semblance.

"Actually Umbra, we passed over an abandoned village on the way here. I'll land there." Then that was that. With a plan thought out, I looked over at Emerald.

"Are you ready Emerald?" She still looked scared, but she nodded her head. Stepping over to the side door, I opened it up. Looking down I could see Atlas far below. Reaching out to Emerald, I looked back at her. "Hold on tight. It's a long fall." Doing as I told her, she held on tight.

Grabbing onto her, I jumped out of the Bullhead. On the way down she screamed in my ear. If I was lucky I'd get out of this with my hearing still intact. Hopefully I would never have to do this again. Falling closer and closer to Atlas, I got ready to use my Semblance. Before I could lose my Grip on Emerald, we fell into the shadows. Good. That meant I really could use my Semblance with another person. That was good information for the future. Landing somewhere in the floating city I brought us back into the real world. Shaking like a leaf, Emerald still had her grip on me.

"You can let go now." Slowly, she backed away from me. Scanning our surroundings, we landed somewhere near Atlas Academy. If the building towering over us was any indication. Or, it could be one of the Schnee's buildings. Only one way to find out…

"We are _never…_ Doing that again. Got it?" She didn't need to tell me that. I'd like to keep my hearing thank you very much.

"Come on. We've got a soldier to hunt down." Walking past her I entered the giant building. From what I could tell we were in the right place. All I needed to do now was take a hostage and find out where exactly Eliza was. With Emerald's Semblance we were able to move around undetected. Eventually we were able to catch someone who was off on their own. They were sitting at a desk typing something off on a computer. Sneaking up behind them, I held my blade up to their neck and dragged them away from the desk. Making sure to cover their mouth with my other hand, they weren't able to call out for help.

"Scream and I slit your throat." After hearing my threat they nodded frantically. Slowly letting go of their mouth, I kept my blade pressed up to their neck. "Now, I want you to tell me where a soldier named Eliza Q. Dubos is located."

"You mean Specialist Dubos? She's on the 54th floor, I promise! Now please, let me g-" With a quick slice, I silenced them. Shoving them to the floor crimson red pooled around their body. The last thing I needed was them triggering the alarms. Signaling Emerald, we made our way up to the 54th floor.

When we reached the 54th floor I passed by each room looking at the names. One of them made me pause. Specialist Schnee. No wonder Weiss was so stuck up. Only a few nameplates down from the Schnee's was Eliza's room. Giving Emerald a quick glance I opened the door and we walked in. Once Emerald walked in I closed the door behind us and locked it. Looking up from her papers, Eliza seemed to recognize me.

"Umbra… So it is true… You've sided with the terrorists that attacked Beacon…" From the sound of it, she recognized Emerald as well.

"You're the last person who has any right to judge who I ally with." Gripping Lunar Eclipse's sheath tight, I hardened my gaze. "You should know why I'm here Eliza. Don't pretend otherwise." Standing up, Eliza walked out from behind her desk.

"I can ex-" Cutting her off I unsheathed Lunar Eclipse. Walking up to her I pointed the tip of my blade in her face.

"Be quiet! I went to Mt. Glenn to search for answers on my own! I saw all I needed to see…" Backing up, I flourished Lunar Eclipse. Slowly, I settled into my stance. "Draw your weapon. If you don't, then that'll just make killing you easier." Averting her gaze, she refused to look at me. "Have it your way…" Rushing towards her I put all my strength into slicing her in half. Bringing my blade down, she caught it with her own weapon.

"I'm sorry Umbra, but I can't let you kill me!" Pushing off of Eliza, I looked back at Emerald. She activated her Semblance, making me practically invisible to the Specialist. Getting behind Eliza I delivered a strong slash. She spun around to try and face me, but by that time I was already somewhere else. Hitting her side now I got two clean hits in. Recognizing that she was outmatched Eliza started to panic. Hitting a switch, she turned her knife into a Dust sword. Even with that, she wouldn't stand a chance against me like this. Ducking and weaving I didn't leave Eliza any breathing room. Slash after slash I whittled down her Aura. Kicking her in the gut I sent her flying back into her desk. Her Aura broke and she dropped her weapon. Looking back at Emerald I had her deactivate her Semblance.

"I've waited for what felt like an eternity for this day Eliza." Taking slow deliberate steps towards the defeated women I pointed Lunar Eclipse towards the ground. "Sure. It hasn't even been a year. But when something is important to you, it has a tendency to make a minute feel like an hour." Stepping on her knife, I kicked it back.

"Umbra please lis-" Ramming Lunar Eclipse through her stomach, I stopped her from talking.

"Just shut up. I've been lied to my whole life. I was kept away from the truths of this world." Twisting my blade, I looked her in the eyes. "You helped kill my mother Eliza. You, along with everyone on Team SHDE." Sliding Lunar Eclipse out of her, I pointed it's blade towards her heart. "With you dead, she'll finally be avenged." Reeling back, I stabbed Lunar Eclipse forward, piercing her heart. Watching as the life drained from her eyes, I pushed her back onto her desk and off of Lunar Eclipse when she was gone. Slicing my blade quickly through the air, I cleaned it of her blood. Sheathing Lunar Eclipse I turned to leave.

"Let's get out of here before someone finds her." Walking past Emerald I didn't spare her a glance. Now that Eliza was dead, we had to leave fast. If someone found her corpse while we were still inside Atlas Academy, we'd have both soldiers _and_ Hunters after us.

Stepping out into the cool nights air, I didn't feel any different. Inside, I still felt hollow and empty. To put it bluntly, it's not at all how I thought I'd feel. Helping Salem, it was only a matter of time before I found what I was looking for. Not only that, but there was a world full of Hunters for me to destroy…


	28. Other Ending 1: Bad+

"Well Umbra. I have no use for you anymore. Got any last words before I gut you and then go kill your girlfriend?" Come on, there had to be something I could do. I had to stall him.

"She's… Not… My… Girlfriend." Get up. Come on! Don't let it turn out like last time!

"Come on Umbra, I'm your dad. I'm just teasing! Now. Hold still…" Get up dammit! Reeling back Hector prepared to plunge Decimation forward. When he did I closed my eyes. Instead of getting impaled though, I felt something splash over me.

"Looks like… I made it…" No… Opening my eyes, I looked on in horror as I saw who took the blow for me. Yuki. "Finish this… Umbra…" Why… Why didn't he tell me… Why did he lie to me!?

"Looks like I missed, a stupid animal got in the way. Oh well." Kicking Yuki off of Decimation he readied himself for a second strike. Feeling something inside me snap, I shot forward. Unsheathing Lunar Eclipse I deflected his attack. Kicking his chest I gave myself some room. Shaking in anger, I did my best to ignore the pain racing through my body.

"You… How dare you!" Moving fast enough to almost make me sick I slashed at Hector. He called Yuki nothing more then an animal. He was going to pay. Using his Semblance for the second time he covered our arena in darkness. Once more, I wasn't able to see. Doing my best to keep up with him, it was still a close fight. The only time I could see Hector was when he got close. If it wasn't for my power boost, I wouldn't have the reaction time to keep up.

Matching each of his swings I could feel my power slowly leaving me. By now I knew I was pushing my body too far. It felt like my entire body was on fire. Hector knew I was on the ropes as he deactivated his Semblance. Panting, I was hunched over. Forcing my body to move I got into my stance. Smiling, Hector did the same. Sneering at him, I rushed forward. Putting everything I had left into my next attack, it was my final one. Whatever happened next, I didn't have the strength to keep fighting.

Clashing blades with Hector for the final time, he managed to deflect my swing. Slashing his sword, I dropped Lunar Eclipse. Falling to my knees I touched where he sliced. Blood was pouring out of my open wound. Dammit. After all that, I still couldn't beat him?

"Are you really throwing in the towel here Umbra?" Stepping out from behind me, Hector stood in front of me with Decimation slung on his shoulder. "That's too bad. You're letting down a whole lot of people."

"Just kill me already, you bastard…" He could save his damn speech. If he was going to kill me, then he should just do it. Smirking, Hector flourished Decimation.

"If you want to die that badly… Then I'll get on with it. But before you die, I just want you to know that you're more like your mother then me." Raising his blade Hector used his left hand to aim Decimation like a pool cue. "When you see her, make sure to say hi for me." I'm sorry mom… Mary… Yuki… I just wasn't strong enough… Watching as Decimation raced towards me, I couldn't help but think that this was the outcome I was hoping for from the beginning.

* * *

"Hector, I must commend you. Even though the silver eyed girl is still alive, it's thanks to you that we were able to get our hands on the Relic of Knowledge." After killing his son, Hector had returned to where all the fun was. Noticing that Cinder, Raven and Raven's pet were missing, he went down to the vault himself. Knowing who Raven really was from his time at Beacon, Hector didn't trust the woman in the slightest. Looking over at Cinder he smirked. The Fall Maiden wasn't happy in the slightest.

"Thank you my Queen." Giving Salem a bow, he looked back up at her. "But it was nothing. I knew that Raven was going to pull something. All I did was act as a distraction for Cinder." Still upset at requiring the arrogant man's help, Cinder refused to look at him. In the end, all that mattered to Hector was gaining Salem's trust again. After playing such an important role, his neck was no longer on the line. Not to mention Umbra was now dead. After all, who needed a son… When you could have the world?


	29. Other Ending 2: Bad

"Well Umbra. I have no use for you anymore. Got any last words before I gut you and then go kill your girlfriend?" Come on, there had to be something I could do. I had to stall him.

"She's… Not… My… Girlfriend." Get up. Come on! Don't let it turn out like last time!

"Come on Umbra, I'm your dad. I'm just teasing! Now. Hold still…" Get up dammit! Reeling back Hector prepared to plunge Decimation forward. When he did I closed my eyes. Instead of getting impaled though, I felt something splash over me.

"Looks like… I made it…" No… Opening my eyes, I looked on in horror as I saw who took the blow for me. Yuki. "Finish this… Umbra…" Why… Why didn't he tell me… Why did he lie to me!?

"Looks like I missed, a stupid animal got in the way. Oh well." Kicking Yuki off of Decimation he readied himself for a second strike. Feeling something inside me snap, I shot forward. Unsheathing Lunar Eclipse I deflected his attack. Kicking his chest I gave myself some room. Shaking in anger, I did my best to ignore the pain racing through my body.

"You… How dare you!" Moving fast enough to almost make me sick I slashed at Hector. He called Yuki nothing more then an animal. He was going to pay. Using his Semblance for the second time he covered our arena in darkness. Once more, I wasn't able to see. "Hide all you want coward! Just know, that no matter what you do, I'm going to kill you!" Everything that was good in my life, he took from me. My mother. My dreams. And now my friend. Waiting for him to make the first move, I stood firm in the darkness. Sensing someone behind me I acted. Dodging his downward slice I responded with a slash. Feeling my hit connect I chased after him. "For Damian, Alfred and Lexi!" Slashing more, each of my hits connected. "For Barry, Mary and Cherry!" Each name I called out powered me further. "Even for Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang!" Mustering all the strength I had left, I rushed forward. Making a clean slice, the pitch black prison disappeared. My vision was restored.

Turning around, I watched as Hector dropped Decimation and fell to his knees. Sheathing Lunar Eclipse I walked over and picked up Decimation. Kicking Hector to the ground, I pressed my boot against his back.

"Get up." His blood was starting to stain the ground. "I said get up." Grinding my boot against his back I pushed him further down. "You call yourself a Huntsman? You're pathetic." Stepping off of him I watched as he struggled to move. "All my life, I looked up to people like you. Hunters… How funny is it that you're also the reason I despise them?" Reeling back, I kicked him as hard as I could. "At first, I wasn't sure what I was going to do after killing you. But now… I think I'm going to become a Hunter myself. Not a hunter of Grimm, but other Hunters. Those who lie and pretend to care for others, but are just selfish bastards." Putting my boot on his side, I flipped Hector over. Raising Decimation up high, I looked Hector in the eyes one last time. "Goodbye, Hector." Plunging Decimation down, I drove his own blade through his heart. Walking back over to Shadow Rose, I looked over at Yuki's body. There was one last thing I had to do…

* * *

After stopping by my aunt's place so she knew I was okay, I returned to Atlas. The entire time I was in the Kingdom I was on edge. As I walked past a store, I noticed that there was a poster with my face on it. Underneath was a price. Just like I thought, they blamed me for the murder of Specialist Eliza Dubos. Seeing the poster made me lower my hood even more. I didn't want anyone spotting me just yet.

Reaching Atlas Academy I needed to find a receptionist. Anyone really. I just needed someone to point me in the right direction. After a bit of aimless wandering, I eventually bumped into someone.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for someone. Her name is Miyuki. She's a faunus. I… Knew her brother." Readjusting their glasses, the person gave me a smile.

"Are you talking about Chief Petty Officer Ritsuko?" Nodding my head, the person rubbed their chin. "Why are you looking for her, if you don't mind me asking." No matter what, I had to see her.

"It's about her brother. Please… I need to see her." Even if there was nothing I could do to make up for my failure, at the very least she deserved to know.

"Oh… Alright, I'll see what I can do. Follow me." Following the man through Atlas Academy we eventually ended up in what looked like a meeting room. He left and now I was alone. A small part of me couldn't help but think that this was a trap. It wasn't until a familiar looking faunus walked into the room that that part of me calmed down. Now face to face with her once again, I tensed up for multiple reasons. Taking a few deep breathes, I slowed my racing heart rate.

"Miyuki… You're… Yuki's sister." Her fox ears twitched.

"Yes. I am. What about it? Are you one of his friends? Did he finally leave the White Fang?" My blood ran cold and my hands started to sweat. I had to do this. I had to.

"I'm a friend of his. Yes. And, he left the White Fang awhile ago." Hearing this she smiled. "But that's not why I'm here." Just like that, her smile was gone. "Yuki. He… He's… Yuki is dead." As if someone had punched her, Miyuki stumbled back.

"What?" I hated this. I hated that Hector forced me to do this. If only I had been stronger… "You can't be serious. Is this a joke?" Lowering my head, I couldn't look at her.

"No. There was an attack on Haven. I'm sure you've heard of it by now. Yuki and I were there. He died… Protecting me." It was done. She knew of her brothers death, I could leave now. Going for the door, she grabbed my arm when I reached the door handle.

"What do you mean he died protecting you!? Who even are you!?" If I told her who I was, I'd just wind up in jail. Or dead. I couldn't let that happen. Shaking her off, I opened the door and walked out. Leaving Miyuki behind I rushed out of the building. When I could, I used my Semblance. Once I was outside I took more deep breaths.

Again, I was all alone. In the end getting close to even those three turned out to be a mistake. It only proved that I wasn't allowed to get close to anyone. Not even as a friend. If that was the case, then I'd just travel alone. That way, I wouldn't have to lose anyone else. Pushing those thoughts to the back of my mind, I focused on what was really important. Hunting down every corrupt Hunter out there. None of them would be able escape me. No matter where they hid on Remnant, I'd hunt every last one of them down…


	30. Other Ending 3: Good+

**Here it is. The final ending. I was going to save this for when this story had been up for a year, but I have something else in mind. On another note, it looks like chapter 25's word count went up. Wonder what that's all about... Until next time, have a good one and stay safe.**

**I don't own RWBY.**

* * *

"Well Umbra. I have no use for you anymore. Got any last words before I gut you and then go kill your girlfriend?" Come on, there had to be something I could do. I had to stall him.

"She's… Not… My… Girlfriend." Get up. Come on! Don't let it turn out like last time!

"Come on Umbra, I'm your dad. I'm just teasing! Now. Hold still…" Get up dammit! Reeling back Hector prepared to plunge Decimation forward. When he did I closed my eyes. Instead of getting impaled though, I heard metal clash. Opening my eyes, I looked up. Who I saw defending me was the last person I expected to see.

"Ruby?" Clashing with Hector was none other then the largest thorn in my side ever. Ruby Rose. "Ruby, get out of here! This isn't…" As I tried to stand up I started coughing.

"Sorry Umbra, but this _is_ my fight. One of my friends is in danger." Damn her. She was going to get herself killed fighting Hector. Speaking of Hector, he started chuckling. Then, his chuckling turned into all out laughter.

"Oh man, this is unbelievable! Your girlfriend came to save you Umbra!" Growling, I grabbed Shadow Rose and pulled myself up. It was time to shut that bastard up permanently.

"I already told you… She's _not_ my girlfriend." Tensing myself to rush Hector, I felt someone grab my shoulder.

"Umbra. Allow us to take it from here. At least until you rest." Walking up to my side, I could see it was Yuki. With him was Alfred and Lexi. Alfred gave me his signature double thumbs up while Lexi just winked. This was a horrible idea.

"Fine. But I get to kill him." Nodding his head, the three faunus joined the fight. Plopping back down I watched the fight play out. Together all four of them fought their hardest. Sitting watching them fight, I couldn't help but feel like shit. To many times I've had to be saved by others. I was sick of it. Not once did I ever accomplish something on my own. What made this fight even worse… Is that it was supposed to be me that fought and killed Hector. He was my problem. Not anyone of theirs. Especially not Ruby's. She called me a friend, but we barely knew anything about each other. That brat, she was still living in that fantasy world of hers.

Then, Hector did something that caused me to panic. He used his Semblance. With them inside that dark bubble I wouldn't be able to watch their fight. Nor would they be able to see what was going on. Pushing myself back on my feet, I grabbed Shadow Rose. Running over to the bubble, it was lowered to reveal that Alfred and Lexi had been knocked on their asses. Yuki was struggling to stand and Ruby was locked in a clash with Hector. In just a few moments the battle had turned on its head. Having rested as much as I could, I jumped back into the fight, pushing Hector off of Ruby.

"Ruby listen to me! Get those three out of here and let me handle Hector!" Using the other half of my Semblance, I made sure not to overdo it this time. Instead of doing as I asked, Ruby attacked Hector. Kicking me he parried her attack. Rushing back in I kept her from taking a hit. "You have your own battle Ruby, get out of here now!" Why did she always have to be such a pain?

"I won't Umbra! You can't do everything on your own!" That's what she thought this was about? While it's true that I was tired of being saved, this fight had more meaning than that. Weaving Hector's attacks with my Semblance I was able to get a few good hits in. "Whether you like it or not, I won't leave! I won't let anyone else die!" Anyone else? Did someone die back at the Grand Hall? Whatever, if she wanted to be a part of this, she could make herself feel useful. So long as she didn't get in my way, I didn't care.

"You think just because there's two of you, that you have a chance? Why don't you two show me what you're really capable of.." Now it was time for the real fight. Giving Ruby a quick glance I saw that she had a serious look on her face. Whatever happened, changed her. Looking back at Hector I charged him. Using her Semblance Ruby got behind him. With Ruby and I attacking in tandem we forced him to go on the defensive. Being at the level I was wasn't enough. Pushing myself just a little bit more I was able to break through his defenses. This caused him to focus more on me.

When he had enough, Hector used his Semblance. Shrouding the battlefield in darkness, neither Ruby or I could see. The coward was so confident just a few seconds ago. Hearing metal clashing against metal, I knew he was going after Ruby. Going over to the sound of fighting I didn't want to jump in too early. In the dark, I might accidentally attack Ruby. The only way to know who was who, was to get in there. Running forward, I shoulder checked someone. Hearing their high pitched yell, I knew I had checked Ruby.

With just enough time, I was able to block Hectors next attack. Raising my strength for only a few seconds I pushed him off of me. Retaliating with a slash of my own I sent him stumbling back. Boosting my strength little by little I kept up the assault. Lowering his bubble, Hector backed off. When my vision returned I could see that he was bleeding. That meant he didn't have access to his Aura when using his Semblance to it's full extent. Matching his gaze I could see pure rage in his eyes. He probably wasn't used to being pushed this far. Looking back at Ruby, I nodded my head towards Hector.

"What do you say we end this Ruby." Getting up, she walked over to me. Raising her weapon Crescent Rose, she got into her stance.

"You think you've won, just because you landed a hit on me!? This is far from over! I'll kill both of you! Do you hear me!? I'll kill you!" Readying my own stance, Ruby and I locked onto Hector. Crescent Rose and Shadow Rose poised, we charged forward. Ruby's attack shattered his Aura, while mine pierced him. Hectors eye's going wide, he looked down at his wound. Decimation fell from his hands. Finally. I finally did it. It was over.

"This… Is for my mother… Eliza… Mary… and every other innocent person you've ever killed." Pulling Shadow Rose back, I stabbed quickly stabbed him through the heart before he could fall. "And this… Is for me. Goodbye, Hector." Kicking him off of Shadow Rose I watched as he fell. A heavy weight had lifted itself off of my shoulders. Quickly slashing Shadow Rose through the air, I cleared my blade of his blood.

Sheathing Shadow Rose I turned to face Yuki, Alfred and Lexi. The three of them had managed to get back up. At the very least, they were still alive. Walking up behind me, Ruby put her hand on my shoulder. Looking back at her, for only a split second I saw Carmine. It was unfair. Why couldn't this girl just leave me alone?

"Ruby… Thank you for the assistance. I… appreciate it." Hearing me say thank you, she had a look of surprise on her face.

"Did… Did you just say thank you?" Scowling I took a few steps away from her.

"What? You didn't want me to thank you for helping? Fine then, I take it back." The next few minutes were chaos.

"I didn't mean that! It's just that you said yourself that words didn't mean anything to you a-" Stopping her rant, she looked as if she just remembered something. Tackling me to the ground she started crying. "HectorhadsaidyoudiedandIwassosadbecausehesaidyoucalledoutformebutyou'renotdead!" Yeah. I couldn't make out any of that. Struggling to get out of her death grasp I remembered my Semblance. Finally able to breathe again I dusted myself off.

"Please don't do that again Ruby." Sniffling as she stood up, she wiped her eyes. "Why don't you go check on your team Ruby? I have somewhere I have to be."

"Already? But we just got to see each other again. Why don't you come with me! You can at least see the others!" No way was I doing that. If that was really a Huntsman they were with, I'd be sent straight to jail.

"Sorry Ruby. That's not pos-" Before I could protest, she grabbed my arm and dragged me off. Now. I could have sworn that I told her to never do this sort of thing again the first time it happened…

* * *

"Umbra you should have told me you were going to be bringing some friends." Sitting with Emilela in the kitchen, everyone else had gathered in the living room. "Especially all these girls…" Alright.

"Can it." After I had met up with everyone at Haven, Ruby had tried begging me to come along with to where I was going. It wasn't until her uncle had piped in that I… reevaluated my decision. It turns out, her uncle's name was Qrow. Apparently him and Hector were friends once. "It's not like I _wanted_ everyone to come with. You can blame the old guy."

"What old guy?" Freezing up, I turned around. Standing behind me was the man himself.

"Uhhh. Old guy, what old guy? I didn't say anything about an old guy." After my fight with Hector, I didn't feel like getting into any fights with Hunters for awhile. Taking a sip from his canteen, Qrow shot me a look.

"That's what I thought." Putting his booze away, he looked at my aunt. "Didn't know you were still in the business Emilela. We could have used you at Beacon." Sighing, Emilela propped her head up on the counter with her hands.

"Umbra told me about that. I feel bad that I wasn't there, seeing as what happened to him." Feeling self conscious now that the conversation turned to me, I left the room. In one of the halls Emilela had a framed photo of her and my mom together. It was from when they went to Sanctum. After so long, I finally avenged her. I still couldn't help but think if any deaths that happened along the way could have been avoided. Marks death was something I would never be able to let go of. Nor was Mary's.

Breaking me from my thoughts I heard laughter coming from the living room. Walking into the room, everyone was still laughing. What was so funny?

"Oh Umbra, there you are! I was just telling everyone about the time I had Coco measure you for your suit!" My suit? What could Yang tell them about that was so funny? "Ya know, about how mad you got after I gave you a quick peck on the cheek?" Dammit Yang…

"What was that?" Oh come on! What was with this guys timing! "What did you do to my niece?" Son of a…


End file.
